The Russian Defense Ministry reported that its warplanes conducted airstrikes on a base belonging to “terrorists” in the U.S.-controlled Tanf area of the Syrian governorate of Homs on Sunday.
According to the Russian news agency TASS, Yuri Popov, the deputy head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation, a department of the Russian Defense Ministry, stated that the raid targeted an area controlled by US forces in Tanf, situated to the east of Homs governorate. This action marks the second such incident, following a previous strike by the Russian Air Force on June 1st, which targeted a location used by militants who had exited Tanf and sought refuge in remote areas of the al-Amour mountain range in Homs governorate.
The United States established what is now known as the “55-kilometer” area or the Tanf base several years ago in the middle of the border between Syria and its neighboring countries, Jordan and Iraq. The Free Syrian Army (FSA), a military faction backed by the U.S. and deployed in Tanf, has not reported any targeting within its deployed area, where it operates alongside U.S. forces. Washington has not commented on the reported airstrikes.
This year marks the first instance in which Russia has claimed to have conducted airstrikes on a military site within Tanf. Previous announcements from the Russian Ministry of Defense typically targeted militants who had left Tanf. Despite repeated Russian claims of targeting militants in the Tanf area, east of Homs governorate, where the U.S.-led international coalition forces are stationed, there has been no acknowledgment from Washington regarding Russian strikes in the vicinity, nor have local U.S.-backed factions reported any attacks on their bases by Russia.v
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.
