The now over five-year-long Syrian civil war has seen its share of craziness, but this weekend may top them all. In the span of a few days, the US-led coalition reportedly bombed the Syrian army in Deir Ezzor by accident–intending to target Daesh (ISIS)–and a Free Syrian Army (FSA) group forced US troops in their presence to leave al-Rai.
On Friday, a now widely shared video emerged of Turkish-backed FSA soldiers appearing to chase US troops in al-Rai (north of Aleppo) out of the town. “Let’s go, pigs” shouted one man. The US troops were also called “dogs” as the rebels chanted “we sacrifice ourselves for Allah.”
Video: US special forces being ousted out of al-Rai in northern #Syria by Turkish-backed FSA pic.twitter.com/11OI3F2grq
Some reported that the FSA acted in opposition to the US support for the People’s Protection Units (YPG)–the primary Kurdish armed group in Syria that has clashed with various rebel groups throughout the harrowing conflict. The US supports the YPG via the anti-Daesh Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and some Americans even volunteer in the group.
If the above weren’t crazy enough, Daesh media arm Amaq claimed that the US accidentally bombed Syrian rebels near al-Rai on Friday. This emerged after the video, but the reports online all cite Amaq, and no other sources. An image next to the town Uwaylin on the Syria Livuamap shows Amaq’s images of the alleged attack.
Then on Saturday, the US admittedly bombed the Syrian army by mistake in Deir Ezzor in an attempt to hit Daesh fighters in the area. Australian planes participated as well. What made this particularly extraordinary is that the US and Australia offered condolences for the attack, and the US even offered to pay the families of the killed Syrian soldiers.
However, the US openly arms groups like the FSA who are fighting the Syrian army and other forces loyal to the regime of president Bashar al-Assad.
Many on Twitter–both pro-rebel and pro-regime–reacted to the news. Many pro-regime tweeters slammed the US for the move, which they said helped Daesh.
VIDEO: US Attack on #Syria-n Army Helps #ISIS Gain Ground https://t.co/x9rmC25BzL
Others more sympathetic to the rebels claimed Assad has committed the most war crimes in Syria, yet has only been bombed by the US once–by mistake.
Today for the 1st time the US bombed the force responsible for 90 percent of killings in #Syria. By mistake.
The above events are one of many events that threaten to jeopardize the latest US-Russia deal on a ceasefire in Syria.
AL
