In Qamishli, Syria, reports indicate that fighters supported by Iran and the Syrian government launched an attack on regions controlled by U.S.-backed fighters in eastern Syria. This resulted in the death of at least two individuals and injuries to several others. The clashes occurred in Deir el-Zour, an eastern province bordering Iraq, amidst heightened tensions in the area following recent incidents involving top military figures of Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Iran, for which Israel was held responsible.
The conflict in eastern Syria is the most severe in nearly a year and involves areas where hundreds of U.S. troops have been stationed since 2015 to combat the Islamic State group. Syrian government forces and fighters supported by Iran are positioned on the west side of the Euphrates River in Deir el-Zour, while the east bank is under the control of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) led by Kurds.
The SDF reported that “Syrian regime-backed mercenaries” launched attacks on several villages including Dhiban, Latwa, and Abu Hamam. The fighting began late Tuesday and persisted into Wednesday as the SDF endeavored to stabilize the situation. Dhiban is located near the al-Omar oil field where SDF fighters and U.S. troops are stationed.
In response to the escalating violence, Kurdish authorities on the east bank of the river imposed an indefinite curfew, warning of legal consequences for violators. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group, confirmed that the SDF reinforced their positions as the clashes continued, resulting in casualties.
While the SDF and the Observatory reported two fatalities and five injuries, pro-government media sources suggested that the attacks were conducted by local Arab tribes against the SDF, resulting in injuries on both sides. These events follow a recent rocket attack in western Iraq targeting a base hosting U.S. troops and another strike near an Iran-backed Iraqi militia base south of Baghdad.
Moreover, an Iran-backed group known as “the Islamic Resistance” recently resumed rocket attacks on U.S. military installations in both Iraq and eastern Syria.