On April 15, 2021, one of the US military bases located north of the Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor was covered with an “unknown” missile attack, ie not yet. Which armed group assumes responsibility.

As a result of the missile raid, several US servicemen were injured and taken very quickly to a nearby hospital. This was announced by Aletejah TV from Iraq after consulting local sources.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Mehr news agency made it clear that the missile attack was carried out “against the US headquarters, which is responsible for exporting oil obtained from the Syrian territory”.

At the same time over the past few months, a number of similar attacks have been carried out against various targets of the US military in eastern and northeastern Syria, causing some minor damage.

Meanwhile, the Syrian opposition online publication Enab Baladi claimed that the missile strike hit the base of the “Syrian Democratic Forces” (SDF) consisting of directly supported Kurdish fighters. by Washington.

The detail to note is that none of the media has indicated the specific coordinates of the US military base that suffered the attack, nor the location where the missiles were launched.

Since 2015, Washington has controlled nine military bases in northeastern Syria, close to hydrocarbon mines, four of which are in Deir ez-Zor province and 5 in Al-Hasakah province. Furthermore, at all of these facilities, besides the Americans, there were Kurds.

Analysts say the latest attack could be carried out by the remnants of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization or by pro-Iran militias fighting on the Damascus side.

Besides, it is not possible to rule out the raid involving the Syrian government army, when Damascus always affirms that it will regain its sovereignty over the entire resource-rich Northeast region.

On April 14, Syrian government sources said several IS jihadists attacked the SDF prison in Al-Hasakah city, where IS prisoners are being held. The results of this clash have not been released.

It should be noted that since September 2020, the US has increased its military facilities in Syria, regularly dispatching reinforcements to its bases from Iraq and in the opposite direction, escorting the oil caravan.

Oil sourced from northeastern Syria is of great importance to the United States, because it helps Washington pay for the expenses of the Syrian battlefield and partly to support the Kurdish forces. contradiction.

On the side of the Damascus government, they always asserted that the US action was to take resources and seriously violate the sovereignty of an independent country.

Currently, the Syrian government army only controls more than 60% of the territory, while the Northwest is actually under Turkish control, while the northeastern part is rich in resources occupied by the US.

CIA director William Burns is concerned about losing intelligence when the US withdraws its troops from Afghanista. Photo: Reuters

According to Reuters (UK), at the hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Mr. William Burns highlighted the important risk inherent in the decision of President Joe Biden, to withdraw all remaining forces. of the United States in Afghanistan, despite the existence of al-Qaeda and Islamic State militants.

“By the time US troops withdraw from Afghanistan, the US government’s ability to gather information and act on threats will decline. It’s the truth, ”said Burns, a veteran US deputy foreign minister, who took over as CIA director last month.

However, the head of the CIA also added that the US government is likely to keep some parts after the withdrawal, to help make intelligence predictions and resist efforts to restore the team. al-Qaeda terrorist organization.

Mr. Burns’ warning reflects the concerns of many experts that the withdrawal will significantly less secure US intelligence officers, limiting their ability to gather information in a timely manner.

“In the broader perspective, surveillance for US threats will be significantly reduced so that preventive measures can be taken. The Washington administration will no longer be able to cooperate directly with the Afghan security forces, ”said Lisa Curtis, a former White House top advisor to Afghanistan during the former Trump administration.

Ms. Curtis also questioned which US anti-terrorist forces would be relocated outside of Afghanistan, citing “historical hardship” that had placed American forces in “the most appropriate locations. “is Pakistan and Uzbekistan.

American soldiers step out of bases in Uruzgan province, Afghanistan. Photo: Reuters

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden said the US will still monitor terrorist threats, reorganize its counterterrorism forces and retain substantial assets in the region to respond to threats from Afghanistan after withdrawal.

Marc Polymeropoulos, a former top CIA officer who served in Afghanistan, said intelligence agencies often rely on the US military for critical assistance such as security and medical evacuation. He worries if US troops withdraw from here, how the intelligence community will stay.

Previously, President Joe Biden announced that he would withdraw the last 2,500 US troops from Afghanistan before 9/11, the 20th anniversary of al Qaeda’s terrorist attack on the US and usher in the country’s longest war.

President Biden’s decision shows that the US military presence is no longer decisive in achieving lasting peace in Afghanistan, a core assumption that the Pentagon uses as a foundation for military deployment. American team here.

A UN report in January said there are still up to 500 al Qaeda terrorist fighters in Afghanistan. At the same time, the Taliban are also maintaining a close relationship with this terrorist organization. However, the Taliban denied the allegation and claimed that no al-Qaeda members remained active in Afghanistan.