Pentagon condemns attacks on US troops in Iraq & Syria, calls them a 'serious threat'

‌Pentagon‌ ‌said,‌ ‌on‌ ‌July‌ ‌8,‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌deeply‌ ‌concerned‌ ‌about‌ ‌a‌ ‌series‌ ‌of‌ ‌attacks‌ ‌on‌ ‌the US‌ personnel‌ ‌in‌ ‌Iraq‌ ‌and‌ ‌Syria‌ ‌in‌ ‌recent‌ ‌days.‌ ‌‌While no group has claimed responsibility for the assault as yet, experts and observers have deemed them to be a part of an anti-US campaign by Iran-based militias. However, Tehran last week blatantly denounced the accusations labelling them as “fabricated” and not real.  ‌

'Using lethal weaponry' 

Addressing a press conference on the same, Spokesman for US Department of Defence John Kirby called the attacks a “serious threat” to the safety of US troops and diplomats in Syria and Iraq. “They are using lethal weaponry. I don't know how you can say anything other than it is a serious threat,” he said. It is imperative to note that a series of aerial attacks conducted by the US on Iraq-Syria borders claimed four lives last month. In response to the same, Iran-backed Iraq militias vowed retaliation and said that they would conduct a “qualitative operation" that everyone will talk about.

Attacks‌ ‌against‌ ‌US‌ ‌soldiers‌ ‌and‌ ‌diplomats‌ ‌in‌ ‌Syria‌ ‌and‌ ‌Iraq‌ ‌have‌ ‌risen‌ ‌manifold‌ ‌in‌ ‌‌ ‌recent‌ ‌weeks,‌ ‌however,‌ ‌no‌ ‌fatality‌ ‌has‌ ‌been‌ ‌reported‌ ‌as‌ ‌yet.‌ ‌On‌ ‌Wednesday,‌ ‌American‌ ‌personnel‌ ‌in‌ ‌both‌ ‌‌ ‌countries‌ ‌were‌ ‌targeted‌ ‌by‌ ‌a‌ ‌series‌ ‌of‌ ‌three‌ ‌rocket‌ ‌and‌ ‌drone‌ ‌attacks‌ ‌in‌ a period spanning not more than ‌24‌ ‌hours.‌ ‌A‌ ‌barrage‌ ‌of‌ ‌14‌ ‌projectiles‌ ‌hit‌ ‌Iraq’s‌ ‌Ayn‌ ‌Al‌ ‌Asad‌ ‌alone.‌ ‌ ‌

‌This comes in less than a week after Iran denied the US accusations that it had supported attacks on American forces in Syria and Iraq while also condemning US airstrikes on Tehran-backed militants there. On Tuesday, Washington informed United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that it had carried out aerial attacks targeting Iran back militants in both countries to deter them from further attacking and ambushing American soldiers and facilities. Soon afterward, Iranian Envoy lambasted Washington dubbing the bombardments as a “flagrant violation of international law”. The US is trying to bring Iran back into compliance with a 2015 Nuclear Pact. A fifth round of the JCPOA talks was adjourned on June 20 and with no of next meeting announced. 

Image: AP