U.S.-backed Fighters Clash with Pro-Government Gunmen in Syria

QAMISHLI, Syria — In a significant escalation of violence, U.S.-backed Syrian fighters attacked three posts held by pro-government gunmen in eastern Syria on Monday, claiming to have killed 18 of them. This incident occurred in the oil-rich province of Deir el-Zour, close to the Iraqi border, amidst heightened tensions following the recent assassinations of key figures from Hezbollah and Hamas, which have been attributed to Israel. Both Iran and Hezbollah have vowed to retaliate against these attacks. The assault was executed by the Arab-led Deir el-Zour Military Council, part of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and was reportedly a response to prior shelling by government forces that resulted in the deaths of at least 11 civilians in the villages of Dahla and Jdaidet Bakkara. The SDF stated that their attack targeted the origin of the shelling, indicating a cycle of retaliation in the ongoing conflict. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group, nine pro-government fighters were confirmed dead in the latest clash, marking the most severe violence in the region in nearly a year. Since 2017, the eastern bank of the Euphrates River has been under SDF control, where hundreds of U.S. troops are stationed, while the western bank remains under the control of Syrian government forces and Iranian-backed militias. The strategic importance of eastern Syria is underscored by the control of oil fields by the SDF and U.S. forces, while the west bank serves as a crucial land corridor for Iran to the Mediterranean.