US strikes pro-Iran militias in Iraq, Syria
The Pentagon (our photo) announced that it carried out strikes on Sunday against Iranian-backed militias on the Iraqi-Syrian border (illustrative image).
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The United States on Sunday (June 27) struck facilities used by Iranian-backed militias on the Iraqi-Syrian border, killing at least five people, according to an NGO, in response to the increase in drone attacks against their interests in Iraq.
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On the orders of President Biden, the United States military forces carried out precision defensive airstrikes against facilities used by Iranian-backed militias in the Iraq-Syria border region
," the spokesperson said. Pentagon said John Kirby in a statement Sunday.
Strikes that targeted operational centers and weapons depots located in two places in Syria and one place in Iraq.
At least five fighters from Iranian-backed Iraqi militias have been killed and several others injured, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (OSDH), a London-based non-governmental organization that relies on extensive network of sources in Syria.
This is the second such operation since President Biden came to power.
A strike in eastern Syria
in February killed more than 20 fighters, according to OSDH.
Multiplication of drone attacks
US interests in Iraq have been the target of repeated attacks in recent months.
The United States consistently accuses pro-Iran factions of being responsible.
"
The targets were selected because these facilities are used by Iranian-backed militias who are involved in attacks using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) against US personnel and installations in Iraq,
" he said. added the Pentagon spokesman.
"
President Biden has been clear that he will do what is necessary to protect American personnel
," Pentagon spokesman explained, our New York correspondent
Loubna Anaki reports
.
Since the start of the year, more than 40 attacks have targeted US interests in the country, including sites used by the CIA and special forces.
Nearly 2,500 American soldiers are deployed as part of an international coalition to fight the jihadist group Islamic State.
The new use of drones is a headache for the coalition because these flying machines can escape the C-RAM defense batteries, installed by the American army to defend its troops.
A drone "
loaded with TNT
", according to the Kurdish authorities, crashed in April on the headquarters of the coalition at the airport of Erbil, in the north of Iraq. A "
trapped drone
" also crashed in May on the Iraqi air base of Ain al-Assad sheltering Americans. And in early June, three drones targeted Baghdad airport, where American soldiers are also deployed, and five rockets were fired at an air base where American companies operate.
The United States believes that Tehran is using these armed militias and attacks on Americans to put pressure on Washington and get the sanctions lifted.
Asked about these strikes on his return to the White House from the weekend, Joe Biden explained that he would make a statement on Monday on these military operations.
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