US Increasing Combat Strength in Southern Syria

by Stephen Lendman

According to Western media reports, US-led coalition forces consider encroachment by Syrian and allied forces toward the Al-Tanf border crossing on the strategically important Damascus highway to Baghdad a threat to their presence - where they're operating illegally.

Combined Joint Task Force/US CENTCOM spokesman Col. Ryan Dillon said "(w)e have increased our presence and our footprint and are prepared for any threat that is presented by the pro-regime forces."

The area he referred to is within a Russian-established de-escalation zone. Washington, its rogue allies and terrorist foot soldiers disregard it, part of a plot to destroy Syrian sovereignty and oust Assad.

CENTCOM said US-led "combat power" was strengthened in southern Syria. Its presence has nothing to do with combating ISIS, everything to do with wanting control over the area, part of a Washington hatched plot to separate northern and southern Syria from Damascus control.

Leaflets dropped near the Jordanian and Iraqi borders warned Syrian and allied forces to depart the area, saying any movement toward the Al Tanf border crossing "will be seen as hostile intent and we will defend our forces…(L)eave the area immediately."

It's southeastern Syrian desert known as Badia, an active combat zone in the fight against US-supported terrorists, including imported death squads called "moderate rebels."

Controlling Badia and Deir Ezzor are priorities for Damascus to liberate Syria entirely from the US-supported scourge - war in its seventh year, devastating the country and its people, Trump escalating what Obama began, risking direct confrontation with Russia.

Syrian and allied forces aren't pulling back. They're preparing to advance toward sealing and controlling border areas with Iraq and Jordan - currently about 30km from the Al Tanf border crossing.

If attacked by US-led coalition warplanes, it remains to be seen how Russia responds.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

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