{"id":59764,"date":"2018-02-07T23:04:22","date_gmt":"2018-02-07T23:04:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/02\/07\/pro-assad-fighters-attack-us-backed-forces-coalition-advisers\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T11:18:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T11:18:29","slug":"pro-assad-fighters-attack-us-backed-forces-coalition-advisers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/02\/07\/pro-assad-fighters-attack-us-backed-forces-coalition-advisers\/","title":{"rendered":"Pro-Assad fighters attack US-backed forces, coalition advisers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Syrian pro-regime<\/a> fighters initiated an unprovoked attack against Syrian Democratic Forces<\/a> headquarters, where coalition service members<\/a> were co-located, Wednesday, according to military officials. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Syrian Democratic Forces, the U.S.-backed mix of Kurdish and Arab fighters, acted in self-defense to repel the attack in eastern Syria late Wednesday and early Thursday, Col. Thomas Veale, a spokesman for the Inherent Resolve coalition, told Military Times.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The assault appeared \u201cto be a coordinated attack on Syrian Democratic Forces approximately 8 kilometers east of the Euphrates River de-confliction line in Khusham, Syria,\u201d Veale said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad\u2019s regime<\/a> began the attack with 122mm artillery pieces, according to Veale. The pro-regime forces maneuvered T-55 and T-72 main battle tanks with support from multiple-launch rocket systems and mortars against the SDF forces headquarters, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An approximately battalion-sized dismounted formation followed the tanks, he added.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter 20 to 30 artillery and tank rounds landed within 500 meters of the SDF headquarters location, [SDF] supported by the Coalition targeted the aggressors with a combination of air and artillery strikes,\u201d Veale said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A rebel fighter fires a heavy machine gun during clashes with government forces and pro-regime shabiha militiamen in the outskirts of Syria’s northwestern Idlib province on September 18, 2015. AFP PHOTO \/ OMAR HAJ KADHOUR (Photo credit should read OMAR HAJ KADOUR\/AFP\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Because coalition advisers were with the SDF in an advise, assist and accompany capacity, \u201cthis action was taken in self-defense,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, fleeing pro-regime vehicles and personnel who headed back west were not targeted, according to Veale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The coalition had been aware of a massing of pro-regime forces over the past week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCoalition officials alerted Russian officials of the SDF presence in Khusham via the de-confliction line well in advance of the [pro-regime] attack,\u201d Veale explained. That line of communication was maintained with their \u201cRussian counterparts before, during and after the thwarted [pro-regime] attack.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t