SDF, US-led Coalition Held Joint Drills In Northeastern Syria (Video, Photos)

On September 7, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced that its units had held joint drills with the US-led coalition in Syria’s northeastern region.

In a statement, the Kurdish-led group said that the drills took place near the village of Taql Baql in the northeastern countryside of al-Hasakah, just a few kilometers away from the border with Turkey and Iraq.

The drills included live-fire exercises with medium and heavy weapons, as well as training courses on reconnaissance and counter-terrorism.

“These drills are the first to take place in that region, and the third during the year in northern and eastern Syria,” the SDF’s statement reads.

The joint drills came amid threats by Turkey, whose military and proxies have been preparing to launch a new operation against the SDF for well-over two months now.

They also came following a serious military confrontation between the US-led coalition and Iranian-backed Syrian and Iraqi forces. The two sides exchanged attacks in Deir Ezzor and the southeastern Syrian area of al-Tanf for several days last month.

The US-led coalition maintains hundreds of troops in northeastern Syria to support the SDF. This year, the coalition expanded some of its bases in the region and reinforced others. According to a number of recent reports, the coalition also built new bases.

Washington insists that its forces are present in Syria only to defeat ISIS. However, its troops are propping up a de-facto state in the northeastern region led by the SDF.

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