US will not tolerate attack on US forces in Syria: former Coalition spokesperson
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Retired US army Col. Myles B. Caggins III, a former spokesman for the US-led Coalition in Iraq, and a senior fellow at the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy told Kurdistan 24 that the recent attacks on US forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Syria will not be tolerated by the US.
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“The United States has sent a strong message to the Iranian aligned militia groups in Syria. Attacks on US forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces from Iranian militias will not be tolerated,” he said.
According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), at least 19 fighters from Iranian-backed armed groups and Syrian forces were killed on Friday by US strikes in response to Thursday’s drone attack by a pro-Iranian group which killed a U.S. contractor at a base near Hasakah.
“The reason the Biden administration and Pentagon responded forcefully in the past two days is because a US contractor was killed and US military troops were wounded by Iran's drones,” Col. Myles B. Caggins III said.
“Now, I believe the Pentagon will increase the attacks against Iranian forces in Syria because we see that Kataib Hezbollah and these Iranian militias are launching more rockets and more drones at US troops.”
“Iran is picking a fight and challenging the United States in Syria,” he added. “Iran wants the United States out of Syria.”
“The United States is focused on defeating ISIS, but as President Biden said clearly, the US will protect its troops and I think when Iran is making a decision, they will decide to not challenge the United States to the point of being blasted away by American aircraft.”
“The United States is going to maintain its partnership with the Syrian Democratic Forces,” he underlined.
“This week was the fourth anniversary of the defeat of ISIS at Baghouz and there are now 10,000 ISIS terrorists in detention, and the US and coalition are helping the Syrian Democratic Forces.”
“Iran is causing problems in the region by launching attacks and the United States will not allow Iran to continue these attacks that are hindering or impeding the anti-ISIS mission,” he concluded.