US Military Attacks Food Convoy in Eastern Syria
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - A recent report reveals that the US military has launched an attack on a food convoy in eastern Syria based on allegations that the trucks were carrying weapons.
The Tasnim news agency reported on Thursday that it obtained footage of the incident, which occurred in the eastern Syrian city of Al Bukamal near the Iraq-Syria border.
According to the report, the US had asserted that the trucks were transporting weapons, but the footage contradicted this claim. The video depicted bystanders unloading one of the trucks, with the driver reportedly allowing residents to do so as he became convinced that transporting the food to central and western parts of Syria was infeasible.
While the exact timing of the attack was not specified, Reuters previously cited an Iraqi border official who stated that unidentified aircraft had targeted a 10-truck convoy crossing from Iraq to Syria on a Sunday night.
This attack is seen as a US effort to disrupt imports from Iraq, placing additional pressure on the Syrian population and possibly as a response to its inability to prevent attacks on US bases in Syria.
The strikes occurred against the backdrop of growing anti-US sentiment in the region due to Washington's unwavering support for the Israeli offensive in the besieged Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of over 9,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom are women and children.
The US military has maintained its forces and equipment in northeastern Syria, with the Pentagon claiming that this deployment aims to prevent the oil fields in the region from falling into the hands of Daesh (ISIS) terrorists. In contrast, Damascus contends that the deployment is an attempt to exploit Syria's natural resources. Former US President Donald Trump openly acknowledged that American forces were in the region for its oil wealth.
Since 2011, the Syrian population has faced increased pressure from the US and its Western allies. Economic sanctions and restrictions on Damascus have escalated, especially after 2011 when the country fell into the grip of foreign-backed militancy and terrorism. The US intensified its coercive measures with the enactment of the Caesar Act in 2019, targeting individuals and businesses involved, directly or indirectly, in Syria's reconstruction efforts.
Due to areas previously serving as food sources for Syria being occupied by US-backed forces, Syrians have been compelled to rely on imports from Iraq, exacerbating a food crisis in the country.