US Army Sets up New Military Base at Iraq's Border with Syria

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US Army Sets up New Military Base at Iraq's Border with Syria
Date: 12-9-18
RE: http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13970918000661

Photo link: http://media.farsnews.com/media/Uplo...est_PhotoI.jpg
TEHRAN (FNA)- The US army has set up a new military base in Western Anbar at Iraq's border with Syria, local officials disclosed on Sunday.

The Arabic-language al-Ma'aloumah news website quoted Farhan Mahd al-Deilami, a member of Anbar province Council, as reporting that the US forces have established a new base in the Western part of the province.

It further reported that the US has deployed a surprising number of troops on the Northern bank of the Euphrates River 30 km away from al-Ramanah region near the town of al-Qa'em at border with Syria, adding that the move will enable the US forces to have the upper-hand in regions between Anbar and Nineveh provinces.

The official further told the news website that the ISIL terrorists have been infiltrating into deserts between Anbar and Nineveh provinces via the borderlines with Syria.

A senior commander of Hashd al-Shaabi (Iraqi popular forces) said on Tuesday that the ISIL commanders were hiding at US bases at Iraq's border with Syria and warned that Washington sought to use the terrorists as a leverage against Baghdad and Damascus.

The Arabic-language al-Ma'aloumeh news website quoted Hashem al-Moussavi as saying that a number of ISIL leaders were sheltered at Iraq's border with Syria to survive current attacks by the Iraqi security forces and Hashd al-Shaabi.

He added that Syria's al-Tanf base is the main stronghold of the terrorists and supplies the ISIL remnants with weapons, military equipment and intelligence, noting that Washington aims to use the ISIL commanders as a leverage to pressure Baghdad and Damascus.

Al-Moussavi said that the Iraqi security forces and Hashd al-Shaabi are at present trying to cleanse Wadi Houran region in al-Anbar (at the borders between Iraq and Syria) from terrorists, adding that the US fighter jets often provide a cover to the ISIL moves between Iraq and Syria.

The US-led coalition has long been suspected of colluding with the ISIL terrorist group in Eastern Syria for quite a few years now. Experts believe the US needs to keep a contained group of ISIL terrorists operating in the region in a bid to justify its buildup in Eastern Syria.