SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region — In a recent incident highlighting the continuing tensions between the Washington and Tehran, US forces in Syria intercepted and shot down an Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that was conducting surveillance of a US military base in the northeast of the country.
According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), the incident took place on Tuesday, at around 2:30 PM local time, when the Iranian UAV attempted to gather reconnaissance information on Mission Support Site Conoco, a patrol base in northeastern Syria.
On February 14th, at approximately 2:30 PM local time, US forces in Syria engaged and shot down an Iranian-manufactured UAV attempting to conduct reconnaissance of Mission Support Site Conoco, a patrol base in northeast Syria. pic.twitter.com/3GSf8odK3w
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 15, 2023
The US military has accused Iran of arming and supporting numerous proxy militias throughout the Middle East, and this incident is just the latest in a series of escalating confrontations between the two countries in the region.
The United States has maintained a military presence in Syria for several years, with the primary aim of providing support to local forces in their fight against the ISIS sleeper cells.
Earlier this month, the CENTCOM reported in a statement conducting 43 anti-ISIS operations in Iraq and Syria throughout January. The operations led to the killing of 9 ISIS operatives in Iraq and 2 in Syria, as well as the detention of over 200 militants. The efforts come as the US-led coalition continues its campaign to eradicate the group’s presence in the region.
“While our efforts have degraded ISIS, the group’s vile ideology remains uncontained and unconstrained,” the statement added, citing the commander of the CENTCOM, Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla.
Here is our recap of the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria for the month of January 2023 pic.twitter.com/CRBNT3OdZT
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 2, 2023
With efforts ongoing to ensure the group is fully eradicated from the region, the threat of ISIS remains a significant concern for the region and the international community.
