Drone attack targets Syrian Democratic Forces Commando Academy

New Delhi, Feb 5: The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reported that an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), launched from Syrian government-controlled territory, struck its commando academy located at the al-Omar oil field in an eastern province.

The SDF, known for its collaboration with a US-led coalition in defeating the Islamic State group in eastern Syria, conducted an initial investigation, attributing the "terrorist act" to Iran-backed militias. According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), the attack resulted in the loss of seven SDF commandos, with 18 others sustaining injuries. The SOHR noted that this marked the 108th militia attack on US bases in Syria since mid-October.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group comprising Iraqi militias with backing from Iran, claimed responsibility for the drone attack. In a statement reported by Iraqi media, the group asserted that the strike targeted the "US base in al-Omar oil field." The same group also claimed responsibility for a drone strike on the US Tower 22 base on the Jordanian side of the Syrian border on January 28. The earlier attack resulted in the death of three US soldiers. It triggered a series of retaliatory air strikes by the US on facilities associated with Iranian forces and Iran-backed militias in Syria and Iraq.