US troops, Iranian-backed groups trade fire in eastern Syria

RAQQA CITY, Syria

Iranian-backed armed groups on Tuesday evening exchanged attacks with the US troops stationed on the west bank of the Euphrates River in the Deir ez-Zor province, eastern Syria.

According to local sources who spoke with Anadolu, the Iranian-backed groups carried out a rocket attack on the Conoco gas field in Deir ez-Zor.

The sources confirmed loud explosions in the area where the US troops are stationed, but no information has been available on whether there were any casualties or material damage.

In response to the attack, the US troops struck with artillery shells the villages of Hawija Saker, Al-Jafra, and Murad, where the Iranian-backed groups are believed to be stationed.

Unknown fighter jets also struck the villages later in the night, the sources added, without specifying whom the jets belong to.

The US Army is yet to comment on the reported attacks.

In recent months, drone and missile attacks have been carried out against US bases in Syria by unknown armed groups, likely to be Iranian-backed.

Deir ez-Zor is under the occupation of the US-backed PKK/YPG terrorist organization, while the city center and other rural areas are under the control of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad regime and Iranian-backed groups.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara