Syrian rebel commander: 150 US troops at al-Tanf base
In an interview with Al-Monitor, Lt. Col. Muhannad al-Talla, the commander of Maghawir al-Thawra, speaks of the role of the US-led coalition at al-Tanf military base, which is close to the border between Jordan, Syria and Iraq.
AMMAN, Jordan — Given its location on the Syrian-Iraqi-Jordanian border triangle, al-Tanf military base is perceived to be strategic for the US-led coalition against the Islamic State (IS), and also a red line.
The military base has been used as a facility to train Maghawir al-Thawra (Revolutionary Commando Army), which was founded in May 2015 and trained in Jordan to fight IS, Lt. Col. Muhannad al-Talla, the commander of the faction, told Al-Monitor.
On May 18, the US-led coalition’s aircraft destroyed a pro-Syrian regime convoy advancing toward al-Tanf base, after ignoring warning shots. Commenting on the strike, US Secretary of Defense James Mattis said, “We are not increasing our role in the Syrian civil war. But we will defend our troops.”
Talla said that 150 US troops are stationed at al-Tanf base, in addition to troops of five different nationalities from within the ranks of the coalition — which he did not name at the request of these member states — including two Arab countries.
