Iran says any US attack on Syrian bases will be responded to
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - An Iranian official on Saturday said that any attack on bases in Syria would be responded to and accused the United States of making “baseless” accusations against Iran. Washington has blamed Iran-backed forces for a deadly attack that killed one US contractor. US forces retaliated with an airstrike that killed 19 people.
“Any pretext to attack bases created at the request of the Syrian government to deal with terrorism and Islamic State elements in this country will be met with an immediate counter-response,” said Keyvan Khosravi, spokesperson of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, according to Nournews.
“America continues to evade the consequences and repercussions of its illegal occupation of parts of Syrian lands... The attempts of making accusations towards Iran are baseless,” said Khosravi, adding that Iran’s forces and its allies are in the country at the request of the Syrian government.
A US contractor was killed and six others were injured when a drone strike targeted a Coalition base near northeast Syria's Hasaka city on Thursday. The drone was of Iranian origin, according to the Pentagon.
In retaliation, American forces launched airstrikes against groups affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) based in eastern Syria. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported the airstrike killed 19 people - 16 pro-Iran fighters and three Syrian soldiers. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said their forces will defend themselves, but Washington is not looking for war.
On Friday morning, pro-Iran militias fired missiles towards the al-Omar oil field in Deir ez-Zor where US forces are based, according to SOHR. There are no reports of damage.
Hundreds of US troops stationed in Syria are part of an international coalition that has fought alongside the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against the Islamic State (ISIS) terror group.
Khosravi said that Iran is combatting terrorism and ensuring security in eastern Syria and that Syrians have a “natural and legal” right to confront American forces on their soil. He accused Washington of placing blame on Iran in order to create “a fabricated crisis.”
He also accused Washington of supporting ISIS to achieve political goals in Iraq and Syria, alleging that American helicopters transported ISIS terrorists inside Syrian lands and this requires a “decisive response.”
Attacks on US forces in Syria are often attributed to Iran-backed militias and factions but have never been claimed. Ten pro-Iran fighters were killed in two days of strikes on the Syria-Iraq border in late January, but it was not clear who carried out the attacks.
By Azhi Rasul