US destroys weapons systems in Syria after attack on its positions

The United States has destroyed several weapons systems in Syria in response to an attack on its positions in the east of the country, according to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), responsible for operations in the Middle East.

In a statement, CENTCOM said U.S. forces attacked three truck-mounted multiple rocket launchers, a T-64 tank, an armored vehicle and several mortars that posed a “clear and imminent threat” to U.S. and coalition forces fighting the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group.

The US attack came after these weapons systems were used to fire on US forces positions in a military enclave near the Euphrates.

The Euphrates River is a major dividing line in the Syrian conflict, having for years separated Iranian-backed and US-backed forces competing for territorial control in the area, the Crisis Group think tank said on its website.

In particular, to the east of the river are the territories controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a coalition led by the Kurds and backed by Washington. Meanwhile, pro-Assad forces supported by Iran dominate the western banks.

Despite these attacks, Washington has reiterated its commitment to maintaining its military presence in Syria to ensure that IS, which came to control large areas in 2014, does not re-emerge.

On Wednesday, the Levant Liberation Organization (formerly the al-Qaeda-allied al-Nusra Front) and pro-Turkish allies launched an offensive against the Syrian army in the northwest, sparking intense ground fighting accompanied by Russian airstrikes, leaving more than 500 dead since November 27, including 92 civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The offensive continues on several fronts, with the insurgents advancing towards the city of Hama, in the center of the country, and capturing positions of the Syrian government, which has also suffered setbacks in the east. EFE