US forces in Syria strengthened with HIMARS MLRS missile system.

According to Ikram Kouachi of Anadolu news agency on May 30, the United States has armed its forces stationed in its bases located near Al-Omar oilfield and Conoco gas plant in eastern Syria with a HIMARS missile system.
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The M142 HIMARS has demonstrated its formidable efficiency in the hands of the Ukrainian army against the Russian invader (Picture source: U.S. DoD)

Deir ez-Zor province, east of the Euphrates River, is currently occupied by the YPG/PKK forces. The move “aims to confront possible attacks by Iran-backed groups on the opposite bank of the Euphrates River,” a source told Anadolu. US forces in Syria have come under drone and missile attacks in several occasions from areas controlled by Iran-backed groups.

Since 2015, the US forces in Syria have trained thousands of YPG/PKK terrorists in their military bases in the region. The US has also provided YPG/PKK with large amounts of weapons and combat equipment. Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.

The presence of US forces in Syria has been a topic of significant discussion and debate since their initial deployment in 2015. The decision to send troops to Syria was primarily motivated by the goal of combating the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a terrorist organization that had seized large swathes of territory in the region.

At the time of their arrival, the situation in Syria was extremely complex and volatile, with multiple factions involved in the ongoing conflict. The US forces worked in coordination with Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and other local allies, aiming to degrade and ultimately defeat ISIS. Their efforts included conducting airstrikes, providing training and equipment to local forces, and supporting ground operations against the terrorist group.

Over the years, the US forces, along with their partners, made significant progress in the fight against ISIS. The extremist organization lost control of key cities and strongholds, including its self-proclaimed capital, Raqqa. However, the threat from ISIS was not completely eliminated, and the US forces remained engaged in counterterrorism operations to prevent the group from regaining strength.

In addition to the fight against ISIS, the presence of US forces in Syria also served other strategic purposes. It allowed the United States to exert influence in the region, monitor and respond to the activities of other actors involved in the conflict, and protect its interests. It also played a role in the broader geopolitical dynamics involving regional powers such as Russia, Iran, and Türkiye.

Defense News May 2023