Military Expert:

US Seeking to Form ISIL Gov't in Syrian Borders

Rasa - A prominent Syrian military expert warned that Washington seeks to establish an ISIL state at Syria's bordering regions, stressing that the army will fight against the Americans in al-Tanf region, if necessary.

News ID: 430414

Date: 17 June 2017 - 22:16

RNA - Brigadier General Mohammad Issa said that the plot to overthrow Bashar al-Assad's government does not work at all, specially with the army's current situation and upper hand.

"Sending the US missiles to al-Tanf is a US theatre to create a small ISIL state along the Syrian, Iraqi and Jordanian borders to separate Syria from Iraq and Iran and turn it into a marginalized country which doesn’t play any role in the region," he added.

Issa explained that the small state is also meant to facilitate building the Qatar-Saudi Arabia gas pipeline to Turkey and then to Europe.

He added that the Syrian army will foil the US plot by advancing towards the Iraqi borders and linking itself to Hashd al-Shaabi forces, insisting on liberation of al-Tanf.

Noting that direct military conflict with the US forces deployed in al-Tanf- who are permanently showing off their military power - is unlikely, Issa said the Syrian army is ready to fight against the Americans on Syrian territories, if necessary.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday that the United States has redeployed HIMARS rocket artillery from Jordan to Syria.

"The US has redeployed two High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems from Jordan to a US special operations forces base near the Syrian town of al-Tanf [18 kilometers from the Jordanian border]. Deployment of any foreign weaponry to Syria, especially multiple artillery rocket systems, has to be coordinated with the sovereign state's government", the ministry's statement read.

It noted that "the range of HIMARS cannot allow for providing support for US-controlled Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) operating against Daesh in Raqqa".

"The US-led anti-Daesh coalition has several times already attacked Syrian government forces fighting Daesh near the Jordanian border. It is possible to assume that similar strikes could be continued in the future, involving HIMARS from now on. So what objectives is the US pursuing in Syria and whom are the US servicemen fighting there?", the statement said.

On May 18, the US-led coalition struck pro-Bashar Assad forces near al-Tanf in the area of an established de-confliction zone. The coalition air raids occurred near al-Tanf, where US' and British special operations forces have been training militants near the border with Iraq and Jordan.

On June 6, the Pentagon announced the coalition conducted a new strike on pro-Syrian government forces as they entered the de-confliction zone with Russia and posed threat to its personnel. The force comprised of a tank, artillery, anti-aircraft weapons, armed technical vehicles and more than 60 soldiers. At least two Syrian servicemen were killed and more than 15 injured as a result of the coalition attack.

On June 8, the US-led coalition bombed pro-Damascus forces near al-Tanf in the area of a de-confliction zone following an alleged attack by a combat drone resulting in no coalition forces' casualties. This was the third attack by the coalition on Damascus' allies in the area. The coalition targeted a drone and trucks with weapons.

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