Washington [US], November 15: A US official said on November 14 that Washington believes that the latest US airstrike on November 12 targeting militias suspected of being linked to Iran in Syria killed up to 7 people.
The US official , who did not want to reveal his identity, said that the above number of people were killed in one of the attacks targeting a training facility near the city of Al Bukamal in eastern Syria, according to Reuters .
A second attack, which the Pentagon said was carried out at a home near the Syrian city of Mayadeen, may have killed one more person, the official added. Also according to the official, the US military assessed that no women or children were killed in the new airstrikes.
At the Pentagon, spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said an assessment of the airstrike was ongoing. "We know that there are members affiliated with the IRGC (Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) near the facilities that were attacked by our planes. But I have no further information on the number of casualties or anything else," Mr. Singh told reporters.
If confirmed, this would be the first death since the US began carrying out retaliatory attacks last month targeting militias accused by Washington of attacking US forces at bases. in Syria and Iraq. Other attacks targeted uninhabited facilities, according to Reuters.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on November 13 left open the possibility of additional attacks targeting groups suspected of being linked to Iran if attacks against US forces in Syria and Iraq continue.
US and coalition forces have been attacked at least 55 times in Syria and Iraq since October 17, injuring 59 members. According to statements believed to be from the militia groups responsible, the attacks targeting US forces in Syria and Iraq were in response to US support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas forces in Syria . Gaza.
The US blamed the attacks on Iranian-backed militia groups. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani on November 13 denied that Iran was involved in attacks targeting US forces in Syria and Iraq, according to NHK.
The US has 900 troops in Syria and another 2,500 in neighboring Iraq to advise and assist local forces trying to prevent the rise of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS). This organization in 2014 seized large areas of both Syria and Iraq, but was later defeated.
Source: ThanhNien Newspaper
