Syria: Damascus denounces American “occupation” after bombings on its soil
Syria denounced, on Saturday February 3,
the American “occupation
” of certain parts of its territory and the deadly bombings during the night, after the retaliatory strikes carried out according to the United States “
successfully
” against elite forces. Iranian and pro-Iranian groups in Syria and Iraq.
Catapulting an F/A-18 Hornet fighter-bomber from the flight deck of the nuclear aircraft carrier “USS George HW Bush” (illustrative image). AFP - ERIC BARADAT
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At least eighteen pro-Iranian fighters were killed in eastern Syria during American bombings, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (OSDH). Security sources also confirmed to AFP bombings of positions of pro-Iranian armed groups in western Iraq, near Syria. The United States said the strikes were a response to the January 28 attack on a
base in Jordan
that killed three American soldiers, an attack Washington blamed on groups backed by Iran.
The American military intervention on the night of Friday February 2 to Saturday February 3 lasted approximately thirty minutes and was “
a success
», indicated the White House, which once again assured that it did not want a “war” with Iran. A total of 85 targets at seven different sites (four in Syria and three in Iraq) were targeted, said John Kirby, spokesman for the White House National Security Council. These strikes resulted in “
the death of a number of civilians and soldiers, injuries to others and significant damage
,” the Syrian army said in a statement. “
The occupation of certain parts of Syrian territory by American forces can no longer continue
,” she added, affirming her “
determination to liberate the entire Syrian territory from terrorism and occupation
.”
“
violation of Iraqi sovereignty
”
For its part, the Iraqi government denounced a “
violation of Iraqi sovereignty
”. These strikes raise fears of “
disastrous consequences for the security and stability of Iraq and the region
,” a military spokesperson for the Iraqi Prime Minister said in a statement. The White House assured that the United States had “
warned the Iraqi government before the strikes
”. The American army took action shortly after the solemn return to the United States of the bodies of the three American soldiers killed in Jordan, attended by President Joe Biden. Some 900 American soldiers are deployed in Syria and 2,500 in neighboring Iraq as part of an international anti-jihadist coalition created to fight the Islamic State group when the latter controlled swaths of Syrian and Iraqi territory.
On the Iranian side, we " strongly
" condemn
these bombings: "
Last night's attack is an adventurous action and another strategic error on the part of the Americans, which will have no other result than to intensify tensions and instability in the region
,” reacted Nasser Kanani in a press release, without indicating whether any Iranians had been killed in these strikes.
“
Our response began today
”
The operation targeted command and intelligence centers, as well as drone and missile storage infrastructure “
which enabled attacks against American and coalition forces
,” the Pentagon said. “
We do not want to see another attack on American positions or military personnel in the region
,” said White House spokesman John Kirby. “
Our response began today. It will continue according to the schedule and in the places that we decide
,” Joe Biden also indicated.
Since mid-October, more than 165 drone strikes and rocket attacks have targeted American forces deployed with the anti-jihadist coalition in Iraq and Syria, but no American service member had been killed until the January 28 attack. in Jordan. “
The United States does not want conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world. But let those who want to harm us know this well: if you touch an American, we will respond
,” the American president said in a statement.
(
With AFP
)
Read alsoWashington carried out retaliatory strikes in Iraq and Syria after the death of three soldiers
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