US launches rare strikes on Syrian govt backed troops

The US military launched airstrikes on Syrian government-backed troops Wednesday, a rarity in the Syrian civil war.

As many as 500 attackers began what a US military official says appears to be a coordinated assault on Syrian opposition forces accompanied by US advisers in Deir el-Zour Province.

The official says the strikes were in self-defense after the pro-government forces began firing artillery and



tank rounds at the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. The official says about 100 of the attackers were killed.It’s rare for the US to strike forces that support Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime.

Several US officials say no Americans were injured in the attack by the pro-regime forces, but one SDF member was wounded. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of the attack.