U.S. Marines with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment provide security support during mission on Sept. 9, 2018, at an undisclosed location in Syria. (Cpl. Gabino Perez/Marine Corps)
On October 9, the US Special Operation Joint Task Force – Levant shared photos of American troops in northeastern Syria.
One of the photos shows a special variant of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle that was not spotted in Syria before, the M7 Bradley Fire Support (B-FiST) vehicle.
The SDF remain ready to ensure that a Daesh ‘Army in Waiting’ cannot escape from prisons. The international community will continue to act in the region’s interest, countering coercive and subversive acts that undermine peace and security. pic.twitter.com/8sz0bMLsM8
— Special Ops Joint Task Force-Levant (@SOJTF_LEVANT) October 9, 2021
The M7 B-FiST was designed to provide company fire support teams and battalion, brigade fire support officers with a vehicle platform where they can locate, plan, coordinate, execute and direct timely, accurate, indirect field artillery and mortar fires.
The vehicles is equipped with a specialized target location system on the left side of the turret, in place of the dual TOW anti-tank guided missiles launcher.
The M7 B-Fist was likely deployed in northeastern Syria to carry out reconnaissance missions and support US-led coalition artillery units in the region.
The US maintains some 900 troops in northeastern Syria, allegedly to fight ISIS and support the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The number of US troops in Syria may increase soon. A source in the SDF told the Beirut-based al-Mayadeen TV on October 9 that the US-led coalition had moved some of its troops who from Iraq to Syria. The troop were a part of a combat force that the US promised to pullout from Iraq before the end of the year. They are currently situated in Syria’s al-Hasakah and Deir Ezzor.
Earlier this week, Ilham Ahmed -president of the executive committee of the Syrian Democratic Council, the political wing of the SDF- said that the US plans to keep its forces in Syria to fight ISIS, build infrastructure as well as to remain a key player in the country’s political process.
