World

Rockets Fired at Two US Bases in Northeast Syria, One American Soldier Reportedly Injured

CAIRO (Sputnik) - US bases in the al-Omar oil and Koniko gas fields in northeast Syria's Deir ez-Zor Governorate came under rocket fire on Friday night, the Lebanon-based Al Mayadeen TV reports, citing sources.
Sputnik
Eight rockets were fired at the Koniko base, the sources said. An unidentified US official relayed to Al-Jazeera that one American service member had sustained injuries following strikes in Deir ez-Zor. It was also noted that US air defenses shot down two of three drones used in the attack.
Earlier Friday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that 10 rockets targeted coalition forces at the Mission Support Site Green Village compound in northeast Syria on March 24. No US personnel or coalition members were injured in the attack and the facilities and equipment remain unscathed.
One of the rockets, which missed the compound by nearly five kilometers, struck and damaged a civilian home, resulting in injuries to two women and two children, according to CENTCOM.
Military
US Conducts Airstrike in Syria After American Forces Struck by 'Iranian' UAV Near Coalition Base
Earlier Friday, during a joint conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, US President Joe Biden told reporters that he does not seek a conflict with Iran following the Thursday airstrike against Iranian proxies. However, he underscored that he is fully prepared to defend US forces stationed in Syria.
"The United States does not seek conflict with Iran, but be prepared for us to act forcefully to protect our people," Biden said on Friday.
The US, which maintains a force of about 900 service members in Syria, has held a footprint in the war-torn country since 2016. However, its presence in the nation has no legality, having acquired neither the permission of Damascus nor a mandate from the UN Security Council.
The Syrian government has repeatedly likened US forces in the country to an occupation with an underlying goal to loot the country of its rich oil and gas deposits.
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