March 2023 northeastern Syria clashes

On March 23, 2023, at 1:38 p.m. local time (UTC+03:00), a kamikaze drone allegedly of Iranian origin struck a coalition base at Abu Hajar Airport near Rmelan, al-Hasakah Governorate in northeastern Syria. As a response, The US military carried out a series of attacks using F-15 Fighters at the direction of President Joe Biden. On 24 March 2023, two retaliatory strikes at near oil and gas fields known as Conoco in the vicinity of Deir Ezzor by multiple rockets and at Green Village (US military base) by three drones targeted US and coalition forces.

2023 Northeastern Syria clashes
Part of the American-led intervention and Iranian involvement in the Syrian civil war
Date
  • 23–24 March 2023 (2023-03-23 – 2023-03-24)
    (1 day)
Location
Northeastern Syria
Result Retaliation strikes between Iranian-backed militias and the United States
Belligerents
 United States Iranian-backed militias
 Iran
 Syria
Units involved
 US Army
 US Air Force		 Liwa Al-Ghaliboun[1]
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps[2]
Syrian Armed Forces[2]
Casualties and losses
1 killed, 25 injured[3]

8 killed (Pentagon claim)[4]

19 killed (SOHR claim)[5]

Attacks

On March 23, 2023, at 1:38 p.m. local time (UTC+03:00), a kamikaze drone allegedly of Iranian origin struck a coalition base at Abu Hajar Airport near Rmelan, al-Hasakah Governorate in northeastern Syria,[6] killing one United States contractor and injuring five servicemen and second contractor.[7][8][9] The New York Times reported, US officials said the main air defense system at the base was "not fully operational" at the time of Thursday's Drone Strike.[9]

In retaliation, U.S. President Joe Biden authorized a response with an airstrike on IRGC-linked targets,[10] including a weapons warehouse in the Harabish neighborhood in Deir ez-Zor, and military posts in the al-Mayadin and Abu Kamal countryside,[11] killing 14 people including nine Syrians, according to SOHR.[12][13][14]

On 24 March, 10 rockets were launched at the Green Village near al-Omar oil field which injured another American serviceman.[9] By afternoon, another rocket attack targeted US forces near the oil and gas fields of Conoco, east of Deir ez-Zor.[15] On 30 March, the Pentagon revealed that twelve American were wounded in total with six U.S. troops in Syria suffering traumatic brain injuries due to the two attacks by Iran-backed militias.[16]

A little-known militant group known as Liwa Al-Ghaliboun (The Brigade of Those who Prevail)[6] claimed responsibility for the initial drone attack, although some observers believe the group to simply be a front group for a larger Iranian-backed group or the IRGC.[1]

Reaction and aftermath

On 27 March, the White House said that the attacks would not trigger a U.S. withdrawal from its nearly eight-year-long deployment in Syria. on 23 March 2023, United States Central Command commander Michael Kurilla said in his speech to House Committee on Armed Services that today Iran has grown its military power exponentially compared to five years ago and claimed Iranian-backed groups have struck 78 times on US troops in Syria since January 2021.[17] Meanwhile, the Syrian foreign ministry condemned the attacks and stated that Washington lied about where it had targeted and pledged to "end the American occupation" in Syria. Iran's foreign ministry accused the U.S. forces of targeting "civilian sites".[16]

As of 13 April, US personnel wounded in the clashes reached at least 25, including troops diagnosed with traumatic brain injury.[3]

See also

References
  1. "הסלמה בעימותים בסוריה: "המיליציות הפרו-איראניות בכוננות גבוהה"". Mako. 25 March 2023. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  2. "Death toll update 16 people kil*led including regime sol*diers in airstrikes on positions of Iranian militias". Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 25 March 2023. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  3. "11 more US troops diagnosed with traumatic brain injury after attacks in Syria last month". CNN. 13 April 2023.
  4. Stewart, Phil; Ali, Idrees; Stewart, Phil; Ali, Idrees (30 March 2023). "Six U.S. Troops suffer traumatic brain injuries in Syria -Pentagon". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-03-30. Retrieved 2023-03-31.
  5. "Separate aerial attacks | Unidentified and US aircraft kill 30 Iranian-backed militias in Deir Ezzor since early 2023 • the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights". Archived from the original on 2023-03-28. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
  6. "Iran-Backed Group Claims Drone Attack On U.S. Base In Northeast Syria". Middle East Media Research Institute. 26 March 2023.
  7. Schmitt, Eric (2023-03-24). "American Contractor Killed in Drone Attack on Base in Syria". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2023-03-24. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  8. Martinez, Luis; Seyler, Matt (March 24, 2023). "Another attack on an American base In Syria Friday after US retaliatory airstrikes". ABC News. Archived from the original on 2023-03-24. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  9. Schmitt, Eric (2023-03-24). "Conflict in Syria Escalates Following Attack That Killed a U.S. Contractor". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2023-03-26. Retrieved 2023-03-27.
  10. "U.S. Conducts Airstrikes in Syria in Response to Deadly UAV Attack". United States Department of Defense. 23 March 2023. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  11. "New attack against U.S. base in Syria after alleged Iranian drone kills American contractor, drawing airstrikes". CBS News. 24 March 2023. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  12. "Including nine Syrians | 14 members of Iranian-backed militias kil*led in airst*rikes on their positions". Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 24 March 2023. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  13. Boak, Josh; Gambrell, Jon; Mroue, Bassem (2023-03-24). "US launches airstrikes in Syria after drone kills US worker". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2023-03-24. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  14. "US air strikes 'kill 11' in Syria after drone kills contractor". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 2023-03-24. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  15. Callahan, Michael; Liebermann, Oren; Bertrand, Natasha; Britzky, Haley (24 March 2023). "Biden authorizes airstrike in Syria after suspected Iranian-affiliated drone kills US contractor and wounds 5 US troops". CNN. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  16. Stewart, Phil; Ali, Idrees (2023-03-30). "Six U.S. troops suffer traumatic brain injuries in Syria -Pentagon". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-03-30. Retrieved 2023-03-31.
  17. Kesten, Lou; Mroue, Bassem; Gambrell, Jon (24 March 2023). "US Retaliates After Iranian Drone Strikes American Forces in Syria". Time. Retrieved 24 March 2023.

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