Illustrative image.
On November 11, Syrian Arab Army (SAA) troops prevented a convoy of the US-led coalition from entering the town of al-Qamishli in the northern al-Hasakah countryside, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
شاهد|| حاجز للجيش العربي السوري في تل الذهب يعترض رتلاً عسـ.ـكرياً للاحتـ.ـلال الأمريكي ويمنعه من دخول مدينة القامشلي. pic.twitter.com/Jvt7IvaLdG
— درعا نت (@daraa_net_2020) November 11, 2021
Al-Qamishli is controlled by both the SAA and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. Russian forces are also present in an airport to the west of the town.
“Five military vehicles of American occupation forces tried to enter the town of Qamishli through the al-Wafa roundabout, however, they were intercepted by the SAA at the Rasho checkpoint, located in the southwest of the city,” a local source told the SANA. “They were forced to retreat.”
This was not the first such encounter. Over the past two years, locals, pro-government fighters and SAA service members in northeastern Syria intercepted dozens of US-led coalition convoys. In very few cases, limited clashes broke out.
On October 21 and 24, local government supporters and SAA troops intercepted two US-led coalition convoys in the northern countryside of al-Hasakah.
These seemingly random confrontations appear to be meant to restrict the movements of US forces in northeastern Syria. Washington maintains hundreds of troops in the oil-rich region, allegedly to counter ISIS remnants.
