On Sunday, the Iraqi Islamic Resistance launched a rocket attack on the US base located in the city of Shaddadi, situated 50 kilometres south of Hassakeh. This attack came just days after a similar strike on Kharab al-Jir airport in the outskirts of al-Yarubiyah, in the northeastern reaches of the governorate.
According to a field source in Shaddadi, “The coalition base in Shaddadi was targeted with a rocket around 2:30 in the morning. The explosion was followed by the activation of sirens, and US forces deployed drones in the area to assess the situation. As of now, there is no information available regarding the extent of the damage or casualties resulting from the attack.”
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The US base in Shaddadi is one of the largest installations in the eastern region of Syria, established in February 2017 to provide support to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in their operations in the eastern Deir ez-Zor countryside, particularly in the Conoco gas field and the Omar field. This base also serves as a strategic rear support for US forces stationed at Ain al-Assad base in Iraq. It is strategically situated near the valuable oil fields of the al-Jabsa Fields Directorate, which contain some of the largest oil and gas reserves in the region.
This installation is home to American, French, and British military personnel and is located to the south of the residential city on Jabsa, west of Shaddadi. It is isolated by an 800-meter-long berm running from the village of Tal Shaddadi. The base houses hangars for helicopters, with four helicopters permanently stationed there, along with an extended helipad for cargo planes. Just last week, the base’s airstrip hosted its first warplane takeoff. Additionally, it includes a group of hangars adjacent to the airstrip and a yard for assembling trucks and new equipment arriving from northern Iraq, as well as facilities for training and field operations.
In response to the launch of the al-Aqsa Flood, the US forces at the Shaddadi base have heightened their security measures. Recently, three US generals arrived at the base, leading to restrictions on the entry of maintenance workers, cleaners, and even Kurdish leaders as part of the security protocols accompanying the generals’ visit.
The US base in Shaddadi has been subjected to repeated rocket attacks in the past, predominantly from the eastern side, where the Iraqi border meets the Syrian desert stretching from Tal Safouk in the north to Baghouz in the south.
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.
