Illustrative image.
On December 29, another convoy of the US-led coalition was intercepted by Syrian Arab Army (SAA) troops in the northern countryside of al-Hasakah.
The convoy, which consisted of five armored vehicles, was passing near the town of Tell al-Dahab when it was confronted by army troops and forced to retreat. The Syrian state TV aired footage of the encounter.
This was not the first such confrontation. In the last few weeks, SAA troops and local government supporters intercepted several convoys of the US-led coalition in the northern and eastern countryside of al-Hasakah.
- On December 7, SAA troops and government supporters intercepted a US-led coalition convoy near the town of al-Salihiyah.
- On December 11, government supporters intercepted a US-led coalition convoy near the town of al-Matiniyah.
- On December 14, SAA troops intercepted a US-led coalition convoy on Tell al-Dahab checkpoint.
- On December 16, government supporters intercepted a US-led coalition convoy near the town of al-Damkhyah.
- On December 17, SAA troops and government supporters intercepted two US-led coalition convoys near Tell al-Dahab and al-Salihiyah.
- On December 18, SAA troops intercepted a US-led coalition convoy near the town of Tell Tamer.
- On December 20, SAA troops intercepted a US-led coalition convoy near Tell al-Dahab.
- On December 23, SAA troops and government supporters intercepted two US-led coalition convoys on a checkpoint in the town of Khuaylid and near the town of As-Salamu Alaykum.
- On December 27, SAA troops intercepted a US-led coalition convoy near the town of Tell Tamer.
The SAA and government supporters are clearly attempting to restrict the movements of the US-led coalition in the northern and eastern countryside of al-Hasakah.
The US maintains hundreds of troops in northeastern Syria, most of them are deployed at key oil and gas fields. Washington does not appear to be planning to pull its troops out from the region anytime soon.
Must be nice to being made to take patrols with no shooting or bombings and the worst that happens is they get turned around where they already know the checkpoints are. The locals need to save their waste and cover the US vehicles in human waste when they are made to stop at the checkpoints so when they get back to base they can truly say ” now that was a sh it patrol”.