The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Drone attack | Unidentified drone target positions of Iranian-backed militias in Deir Ezzor countryside

Deir Ezzor province: SOHR activists have reported hearing loud explosions in al-Mazare’ area near al-Mayadeen in Deir Ezzor countryside, caused by airstrikes by an unidentified drone on Iranian-backed militias’ positions in west Euphrates region, the “Iranian colony in Syria”. However, no casualties have been reported yet.

 

It is worth noting that al-Mazare’ area is a military zone under the control of Iranian militias, and it contains camps for training their fighters and the new recruits.

 

On September 25, SOHR sources in west Euphrates region, the Iranian “colony” in Syrian territory, reported that militias affiliated to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps transported Iranian-made “Volcano H2” missiles from their weapons warehouse near al-Shibli archaeological site in al-Mayadeen desert in eastern Deir Ezzor to areas and positions of Iranian-backed militias in Ma’adan area in the eastern countryside of al-Raqqah.

 

It is worth noting that the missiles were transported in trucks under heavy guard. However, it was not known if the transport of these missiles to al-Raqqah was a part of preparations by IRGC-backed militias to attack International Coalition bases in eastern Euphrates or for other reasons.

 

In mid-September, SOHR activists documented the death of three militiamen of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (IPMF) due to a drone attack on the Syria-Iraqi border on September 14. However, the identity of the drone which targeted the IPMF vehicles and trucks in al-Bokamal countryside remained unknown. Meanwhile, US government denied that the attack, which destroyed three trucks of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces, was carried out by its drones.

 

While on July 5, SOHR activists, in west Euphrates region, reported that Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards withdrawn large number of Iranian-made missiles from al-Rahaba castle around al-Mayadeen in eastern Deir Ezzor countryside a few hours earlier.

 

According to SOHR, these forces transferred the rockets by ferries amid strict security measures towards Tal al-Bateen and Hawi al-Mayadeen area, which are the same areas where the Iranian forces have established launcherpads in May. It is worth noting that the bases areas are directed towards eastern Euphrates under control of the SDF and the al-Homar oil field in the nearest area to the bases. The transfer of missile coincided with growing escalations between the US and the Iranian sides recently.