Iran state media accuses US over fuel convoy drone attack in Syria, Americans deny responsibility
Iran state media accuses US over fuel convoy drone attack in Syria, Americans deny responsibility
The strike was carried out by a drone and targeted a tanker truck convoy carrying Iranian fuel that had entered the Qaim border crossing into Syria, Iraqi officials said.
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An Iraqi border police officer said 'no Iraqi casualties have been reported' [AAMIR QURESHI/AFP/Getty-file photo]
At least two fuel trucks were destroyed in an airstrike by an unidentified drone on the Syrian side of the border with Iraq late on Tuesday, Iraqi security and border officials told Reuters.
The strike was carried out by a drone and targeted a tanker truck convoy carrying Iranian fuel that had entered the Qaim border crossing into Syria, the officials said.
"No Iraqi casualties have been reported", said an Iraqi border police officer.
A huge blaze was seen on the Syrian side of the border, said a security official.
The convoy included more than 20 tanker trucks.
Iran's state-run Press TV channel confirmed the attack and accused the United States of carrying it out, saying "a convoy of 22 tankers carrying fuel to Lebanon crossing from Iraq to Syria was attacked by US drones" at the Syrian town of Albukamal.
The convoy crossed the borders into Syria after obtaining "all necessary legal approvals from Iraq" and according to the transportation documents the Iranian fuel was heading to Lebanon through Syria, said two border police officials.
The officials were unaware of any Iranian casualties.
The US military said on Wednesday it was neither behind the strike, nor had any involvement.
An local commander with the Iraqi paramilitary groups known collectively as Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi or the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), denied that any of the groups' fighters deployed near the Syrian borders were killed or wounded.
No casualties have been reported, and Kurdish officials have yet to identify from where it was launched. https://t.co/1yOb0VOUXY
— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) October 20, 2022
"Our fighters are deployed along the border line and not inside the Syrian side where the strike happened. We were not targeted," said Ali Abulhassan Al-Yasiri.
A regional official aligned with Iran said two Syrian nationals were killed in the strike and the fuel was heading to Syria, not Lebanon.
For several years, Israel has been mounting attacks on what it has described as Iranian-linked targets in Syria.
(Reuters)
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