Ground-based anti-aircraft systems at the al-Tanf base in southeastern Syria, where U.S.-led coalition forces are stationed alongside a local Free Syrian Army faction they support, successfully intercepted two drones. One of these drones crashed near the Rukban camp for displaced people, located close to the base.
According to the media office of the Free Syrian Army, the coalition’s ground forces intercepted two drones on Monday. They managed to shoot down one before it reached its intended target, causing it to fall near the Rukban camp. It was emphasized that these drones were deemed “inaccurate” and posed a significant threat to the lives of civilians within the Rukban camp. The Syrian army expressed its commitment to protecting the area from such threats.
On the other hand, the official Syrian news agency (SANA) reported that “Iraqi resistance factions targeted the Tanf and Rukban bases, which are part of the US occupation in Syria, using two drones, successfully achieving direct hits on these locations.”
Syria Today – Israel Strikes Syrian Airports Again; Drone Attack on U.S. Base
As of the time of writing, the international coalition had not issued an official statement or comment regarding the incident.
The Tanf base is situated in eastern Homs governorate, near the border triangle connecting Syria, Jordan, and Iraq, often referred to as the “55-kilometer” area, which includes the Rukban camp for displaced Syrians.
This attack occurred two days after the Pentagon announced that its military bases in Syria and Iraq had experienced multiple drone attacks in recent days. General Pat Ryder, the official spokesperson for the Pentagon, confirmed on Thursday, October 19th, that a drone targeted the Tanf base in Syria early Wednesday morning, Syrian time. US and coalition forces engaged and destroyed one of the drones, while the other crashed into the base, causing minor injuries to coalition personnel.
Earlier, on October 19th, the US Conoco field base in eastern Deir ez-Zor governorate witnessed explosions resulting from similar targeting. At that time, the Enab Baladi correspondent in Deir ez-Zor reported five explosions in or near the Conoco field base, without providing detailed information on the extent of the damage or the responsible party behind the attack.
On October 9th, Hadi al-Amiri, a prominent Iraqi politician and leader of the Badr political and military organization, which has close ties to Iran, issued a threat to the United States. He warned, “If they intervene in the escalation in Palestine, we will intervene, and we will consider all American targets as legitimate.” It’s worth noting that the Badr Organization is part of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces, a paramilitary paragovernmental organization encompassing various Iran-backed factions.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
