On Sunday, the American base in Al-Tanf, located on the borders of Jordan and Syria, was attacked, resulting in the deaths of three Americans and the injury of 25 soldiers, with no group claiming responsibility as of now. So, where is this base located? What is its role and significance to the Americans?
Al-Tanf is a military base for the international coalition led by the United States, situated in the Al-Tanf area of Syria, approximately 24 kilometers (15 miles) west of the Al-Tanf border crossing with Iraq and Jordan. The base was established in 2014 as a forward operating base to support coalition operations against ISIS.
According to the American Brookings Institution, maintaining the American presence in Al-Tanf incurs tangible and intangible costs, amounting to a budget of around $200 million required for training and equipping the forces stationed at the base, as well as combating ISIS in 2020 alone. The actual costs of maintaining the base are "more complex."
Protecting the base necessitates forces capable of self-defense with rapid response capabilities, artillery support, medical capabilities, and strong intelligence efforts to detect threats. It also requires securing close or on-call firepower for deterrence. Logistically, there are no paved roads to Al-Tanf; therefore, all supplies are delivered by air or through convoys across the desert.
The base currently hosts between 200 and 300 American soldiers, in addition to an unspecified number of troops from other coalition member countries. The base is used to support a variety of operations, including conducting airstrikes against ISIS and providing humanitarian assistance to displaced Syrians.
Al-Tanf has been the target of several attacks by forces loyal to the Syrian regime and Iranian-backed factions. In June 2017, the Syrian army attacked the base with artillery shells and rockets. In May 2018, a suicide drone attacked the base, injuring an American soldier.
Despite these attacks, Al-Tanf continues to function as an important operational base for the international coalition. The base plays a key role in efforts to defeat ISIS in Syria and provide humanitarian assistance to Syrians in need.
An American official told Reuters under condition of anonymity that at least 34 military personnel are being evaluated for suspected traumatic brain injuries. Two other officials indicated that some injured American forces were evacuated from the base for further treatment. A fourth official stated that the drone attacked an area near the military barracks, which might explain the high number of casualties if these reports are accurate.
This attack marks a significant escalation of the already tense situation in the Middle East, where war erupted in Gaza following Hamas's attack on Israeli towns on October 7, leading to, according to Israel, the deaths of 1,200 people. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that the Israeli military campaign following the Hamas attack has resulted in the deaths of more than 26,000 Palestinians.
Despite Washington's official stance that it is not at war in the region, it has struck targets belonging to the Yemeni Houthi group, which has attacked commercial ships in the Red Sea. A Jordanian government spokesperson told state television that militants targeted another base outside Jordanian territory.
Western intelligence sources indicate that Washington has provided Jordan with around one billion dollars to strengthen security along its borders since the start of the civil war in Syria in 2011, and recently sent additional military assistance for this purpose.
It is still unclear which Iranian-backed group may have carried out the attack, but several American officials said they do not believe that Iranian military forces carried out the drone attack. Another official stated, "While we are still gathering the facts, it is certain that this (attack) was carried out by an Iran-backed armed group."
