A suicide car bomb attack has killed five members of a Kurdish-led force while they were out on a patrol with US troops in northeastern Syria.

The five fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were killed in the attack, which occurred near a checkpoint on a road near the town of al-Shadadi in Hasakah province, according to UK-based war monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

"A combined US and Syrian partner force convoy was involved in an apparent VBIED attack today in Syria," Sean Ryan, spokesman for the US-led coalition, wrote on Twitter, adding that there were no US casualties.

The incident marked the third major attack on SDF and coalition forces since Donald Trump, the US president, announced he was withdrawing all 2,000 troops from Syria in December.

Last week a suicide bomber detonated an explosive vest outside a restaurant in northern city of Manbij, where US coalition forces were on patrol, killing 16 people including two American soldiers and two American contractors. Three more US servicemen were injured.

The attack, which was claimed by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil), was the deadliest against US forces since they deployed in Syria in 2015.

On January 5, they fired a heat-seeking missile into a group of coalition troops on patrol further south in Deir Ezzor, injuring five British special forces.</s>A suicide car bomb attack has killed five members of a Kurdish-led force in northeastern Syria.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said five fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were killed in the attack, which occurred near a checkpoint on a road near the town of al-Shadadi in Hasakah province.

The incident marked the third major attack on SDF and coalition forces since Donald Trump, the US president, announced he was withdrawing all 2,000 troops from Syria in December.

Last week a suicide bomber detonated an explosive vest outside a restaurant in northern city of Manbij, where US coalition forces were on patrol, killing 16 people including two American soldiers and two American contractors. Three more US servicemen were injured.

The attack, which was claimed by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil), was the deadliest against US forces since they deployed in Syria in 2015.

On January 5, they fired a heat-seeking missile into a group of coalition troops on patrol further south in Deir Ezzor, injuring five British special forces.

Mr Trump announced in a tweet that Isil had been defeated in Syria and he would pull American forces out of the country.</s>A suicide car bomb attack on a military convoy in northeastern Syria Monday killed five members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) accompanying U.S.-led coalition troops, a monitor said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said five fighters from the People's Protection Units (YPG)-dominated SDF were killed in the attack, which occurred on a road in Al-Hasakah province.

The state news agency SANA and the Hawar news agency, based in northern Syria, said the blast was a suicide bombing that targeted a checkpoint near the town of Shaddadeh.

Monday's attack came days after a suicide attack killed 16 people, including four Americans, in the northern town of Manbij in Syria.</s>An image grab taken from a video published by Hawar News Agency (ANHA) on January 21, 2019 shows the scene of a suicide car bomb attack on an anti-jihadist coalition convoy in Syria's northeastern Hasakeh province (AFP Photo/-)

Beirut (AFP) - A suicide car bomb attack on a military convoy in northeastern Syria on Monday killed five members of a Kurdish-led force accompanying US troops in an anti-jihadist coalition, a monitor said.

The attack, claimed by the Islamic State group, came less than a week after another deadly attack on US forces in Syria and a month after Washington announced a US troop pullout from the war-torn country.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said five fighters from the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were killed in the blast on a road in Hasakeh province.

"A suicide attacker driving a bomb-laden car targeted a convoy of American forces accompanied by the SDF on the Hasakeh-Shadadi road," the Observatory said.

Shadadi lies to the south of Hasakeh, capital of the eponymous province, which has been relatively spared by the war that erupted in Syria nearly eight years ago.

The coalition confirmed the attack by a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, but said there were no US casualties.

"A combined US and Syrian partner force convoy was involved in an apparent VBIED attack today in Syria," coalition spokesman Sean Ryan said on Twitter.

"There were no US casualties."

The head of the Britain-based Observatory, Rami Abdel Rahman, said the attacker had ploughed into an SDF vehicle.

Footage on Kurdish media showed a plume of grey smoke rising up from a narrow road flanked by dry land.

A witness told AFP the blast took place by a checkpoint held by Kurdish forces a dozen kilometres (around 8 miles) outside Shadadi as the US convoy drove past.

The witness said he heard planes fly overhead, before the area was completely cordoned off by Kurdish fighters.

The Kurdish Asayesh security forces said no one had died in the attack, which hit ten metres from a checkpoint outside Shadadi.

"A bomb-laden car driven by a terrorist tried to target a coalition convoy as it passed by, lightly wounding a female member of the Asayesh," the statement said, reporting no other casualties.

IS propaganda channel Amaq claimed the attack on a joint US-Kurdish convoy.

The attack came less than a week after another attack on the US-led force and its local partners in the strategic city of Manbij.

Four Americans -- two members of the military, a Pentagon civilian and a contractor -- were killed in a blast that targeted a restaurant in the city centre on January 16.

It was also claimed by IS.

The Manbij attack cost Washington its worst combat losses since it deployed in the war-torn country to combat IS jihadists, who established a self-proclaimed "caliphate" across swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014.

Ten civilians and five SDF fighters were also killed in the Manbij attack.

The US Department of Defense had previously reported only two American personnel killed in combat in Syria, in separate incidents.

This month's attacks targeting the US-led coalition and its allies follow US President Donald Trump's shock December announcement that he had ordered a complete troop pullout from Syria, as IS had been "largely defeated".

Trump and other senior US officials have since sent mixed messages about the pace and scope of the withdrawal.

Turkey has repeatedly urged Washington to make way for its own military plans in northern Syria, where the beleaguered Kurds are increasingly turning to the regime and its Russian sponsor for support.

The SDF is fighting to expel IS fighters from the remaining shreds of the extremist group's "caliphate" in a small pocket of land in eastern Syria near the Iraqi border.

Syria's complex war has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since it started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011.</s>Vehicles of the US-led coalition battling the Islamic State group patrol the town of Rmelane in Syria's Hasakeh province on June 5, 2018 (AFP Photo/Delil souleiman)

Beirut (AFP) - A suicide car bomb attack on a military convoy in northeastern Syria Monday killed five members of a Kurdish-led force accompanying US troops in an anti-jihadist coalition, a monitor said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said five fighters from the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were killed in the attack, which occurred on a road in Hasakeh province.

"A suicide attacker driving a bomb-laden car targeted a convoy of American forces accompanied by the SDF on the Hasakeh-Shadadi road," the Observatory said.

The head of the Britain-based Observatory, Rami Abdel Rahman, said the attacker's vehicle hit an SDF vehicle.

Shadadi lies to the south of Hasakeh, capital of the eponymous province, which has been relatively spared by the war that erupted in Syria nearly eight years ago.

The attack, on which there was no immediate comment from the coalition, came less than a week after another attack on the US-led force and its local partners in the strategic city of Manbij.

Four Americans -- two members of the military, a Pentagon civilian and a contractor -- were killed in a blast that targeted a restaurant in the city centre on January 16.

The Manbij attack cost Washington its worst combat losses since it deployed in the war-torn country to combat the Islamic State group.

Ten civilians were also killed in the attack, as well as five fighters from the local force that was patrolling the city alongside the coalition.

The attacks targeting the US-led coalition and its allies on the ground come a month after US President Donald Trump's shock announcement that he had ordered a complete troop pullout from Syria.

Trump and other senior US officials have since sent mixed messages about the pace and scope of the withdrawal.

Turkey has repeatedly urged the Americans to make way for its own military plans in northern Syria, where the beleaguered Kurds are increasingly turning to the regime and its Russian sponsor for support.</s>BEIRUT: A suicide bomber attacked a convoy of US troops and their allies in Syria on Monday, killing five members of a Kurdish-led force fighting the Islamic State group, a monitor said.

The assault, claimed by IS jihadists, came less than a week after another deadly attack on US forces in Syria, and a month after Washington announced a US troop pullout from the war-torn country.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said five fighters from the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces were killed in the blast on a road in northeastern Hasakeh province.

"A suicide attacker driving a bomb-laden car targeted a convoy of American forces accompanied by the SDF on the Hasakeh-Shadadi road," said the Observatory, a monitor that relies on a network of sources inside Syria.

Shadadi lies to the south of Hasakeh, capital of the eponymous province, which has been relatively spared by the war that erupted in Syria nearly eight years ago.

The coalition confirmed the attack by a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), but said there were no US casualties.

"A combined US and Syrian partner force convoy was involved in an apparent VBIED attack today in Syria," coalition spokesman Sean Ryan tweeted.

"There were no US casualties."

Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said the attacker had ploughed into an SDF vehicle.

Footage on Kurdish media showed a plume of grey smoke rising from a road flanked by dry land.

A witness told AFP the blast happened by a checkpoint held by Kurdish forces 12 kilometres (eight miles) outside Shadadi as the convoy drove past.

The witness said he heard planes fly overhead, before the area was completely cordoned off by Kurdish fighters.

The Kurdish security forces known as Asayesh said the attack hit 10 metres (yards) from a checkpoint outside Shadadi, but unlike the Observatory it said no one had died.

"A bomb-laden car driven by a terrorist tried to target a coalition convoy as it passed by, lightly wounding a female member of the Asayesh," the statement said, reporting no other injuries.

The reason for the conflicting casualty tolls was not immediately clear.

The car bombing came less than a week after another attack, also claimed by IS, on the US-led force and its local partners in the strategic city of Manbij.

Four Americans -- two members of the military, a Pentagon civilian and a contractor -- were killed in a suicide bombing targeting a restaurant in the city centre on January 16.

That attack cost Washington its worst combat losses since it deployed in the war-torn country to combat IS jihadists, who established a self-proclaimed "caliphate" across swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014.

Ten civilians and five SDF fighters were also killed in the Manbij attack.

The US had previously reported only two American personnel killed in combat in Syria, in separate incidents.

Later on Monday, IS threatened US forces and their allies with new attacks, saying on the Telegram messaging app that "what happened to them in Hasakeh and Manbij is only the beginning".

This month´s attacks targeting the US-led coalition and its allies follow US President Donald Trump´s shock December announcement that he had ordered a complete troop pullout from Syria, as IS had been "largely defeated".

Trump and other senior US officials have since sent mixed messages about the pace and scope of the withdrawal.

On Sunday, a former envoy to the US-led coalition said the United States had no plan for Syria after the pullout.

Brett McGurk, who quit in protest after Trump´s pullout announcement, told an interview with CBS "there´s no plan for what´s coming next" and this is increasing the risk to US forces.

Turkey has repeatedly urged Washington to make way for its own military plans in northern Syria, where the beleaguered Kurds are increasingly turning to the regime and its Russian sponsor for support.

In a phone call with Trump on Sunday, Turkey´s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara was ready to take over ensuring the security of Manbij.

He said last week´s deadly attack was a "provocation" aiming to impact the decision to withdraw US troops from Syria, where a civil war has killed more than 360,000 people since 2011.

The SDF is fighting to expel IS fighters from the remaining shreds of their "caliphate" in eastern Syria near the Iraqi border, but the jihadists have continued to claim attacks nationwide and abroad.</s>BEIRUT, Lebanon — A car bombing targeted a joint American-Kurdish patrol in Syria on Monday, injuring a number of fighters but no Americans, a spokesperson for the American-led coalition said, and the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.

The explosion came just five days after at least 15 people, including four Americans, were killed in a suicide bombing by the Islamic State in Manbij, Syria, which is controlled and protected by American-backed local forces.

Coming only weeks after President Trump ordered American troops to withdraw from Syria, the deadly attacks serve as a reminder that the Islamic State, while controlling just a small fraction of the territory it once had, remains capable of striking in what was considered relatively safe territory.

The Amaq News Agency, which is linked to the militant group, reported that a suicide bomber had attacked a convoy of United States troops and Syrian Democratic Forces in what it claimed as a “martyrdom-seeking attack,” wording it uses to take responsibility.</s>(CNN) -- ISIS claimed responsibility for a suicide attack targeting a joint US and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) armored convoy south of the city of Shaddadi, Syria, on Monday, the SITE Intelligence Group reported citing the ISIS-affiliated Amaq News agency.

There were no American casualties in the bombing, Col. Sean Ryan, spokesman of the US-led international coalition, told CNN.

"We can confirm a combined U.S. and Syrian partner force convoy was involved in an apparent VBIED [vehicle-borne improvised explosive device] attack today in Syria. There were no US casualties. We will continue to review the situation and provide updates as appropriate," Ryan said.

The attack comes after ISIS claimed last week's suicide bombing in the northern city of Manbij that left 14 people dead, including four Americans.

Service members were "conducting a routine patrol" at the time of the explosion, the US-led coalition Operation Inherent Resolve said.

Amaq said Monday's attack was carried out by a suicide bomber with an "explosive-laden vehicle" which hit the convoy.

Although some media outlets reported a small number of casualties the SDF denied that, saying "there were no casualties or injuries in the attack," according to Ibrahim Ibrahim, Media Coordinator for SDF.

"A car bomb driven by a suicide attacker targeted the patrol, our forces dealt with it successfully and did whatever was necessary to prevent this attack causing casualties," Ibrahim said.

"The terrorist attack that targeted the mutual patrol between our forces and the international collation has failed due to the awareness of our forces and it didn't accomplish its goals, losses were material only," he added.

The former US envoy for the anti-ISIS coalition said Monday that "ISIS is not defeated" nearly a month after President Donald Trump announced he was withdrawing troops from Syria on the premise that the US had defeated the terrorist group.

Brett McGurk, who resigned last month because of Trump's decision, made the comment in an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour just hours after the attack targeting US forces occurred.</s>BEIRUT: A suicide car bomb attack on a military convoy in northeastern Syria on Monday killed five members of a Kurdish-led force accompanying US troops in an anti-jihadist coalition, a monitor said.

The attack, claimed by the Islamic State group, came less than a week after another deadly attack on US forces in Syria and a month after Washington announced a US troop pullout from the war-torn country.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said five fighters from the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were killed in the blast on a road in Hasakeh province. "A suicide attacker driving a bomb-laden car targeted a convoy of American forces accompanied by the SDF on the Hasakeh-Shadadi road," the Observatory said.

Shadadi lies to the south of Hasakeh, capital of the eponymous province, which has been relatively spared by the war that erupted in Syria nearly eight years ago. The coalition confirmed the attack by a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, but said there were no US casualties. "A combined US and Syrian partner force convoy was involved in an apparent VBIED attack today in Syria," coalition spokesman Sean Ryan said on Twitter.

"There were no US casualties." The head of the Britain-based Observatory, Rami Abdel Rahman, said the attacker had ploughed into an SDF vehicle. Footage on Kurdish media showed a plume of grey smoke rising up from a narrow road flanked by dry land.

A witness told AFP the blast took place by a checkpoint held by Kurdish forces a dozen kilometres (around 8 miles) outside Shadadi as the US convoy drove past. The witness said he heard planes fly overhead, before the area was completely cordoned off by Kurdish fighters. The Kurdish Asayesh security forces said no one had died in the attack, which hit ten metres from a checkpoint outside Shadadi.

"A bomb-laden car driven by a terrorist tried to target a coalition convoy as it passed by, lightly wounding a female member of the Asayesh," the statement said, reporting no other casualties. IS propaganda channel Amaq claimed the attack on a joint US-Kurdish convoy. The attack came less than a week after another attack on the US-led force and its local partners in the strategic city of Manbij.

Four Americans -- two members of the military, a Pentagon civilian and a contractor -- were killed in a blast that targeted a restaurant in the city centre on January 16. It was also claimed by IS.

The Manbij attack cost Washington its worst combat losses since it deployed in the war-torn country to combat IS jihadists, who established a self-proclaimed "caliphate" across swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014.</s>BEIRUT — An Islamic State suicide bomber targeted a joint convoy of U.S. and allied Kurdish forces in northern Syria on Monday, marking the second attack against U.S. troops in less than a week and further highlighting the dangers surrounding U.S. plans to withdraw forces after a declaration that the extremist group had been defeated.

U.S. military Col. Sean Ryan said there were no casualties among the U.S.-led coalition members.

Monday’s bombing came days after a suicide attack killed 19 people, including two U.S. service members and two American civilians, in the northern Syrian town of Manbij. That bombing was the deadliest assault on U.S. troops in Syria since American forces moved into the country in 2015 and underscored the threat still posed by Islamic State militants, even as President Trump has claimed the group’s defeat.

The extremist group claimed both attacks in statements carried by its Aamaq news agency. Islamic State has been driven from virtually all the territory it once held in Syria and Iraq but continues to carry out attacks in both countries.

The Kurdish Hawar news agency, based in northern Syria, said Monday’s blast targeted a Syrian Kurdish checkpoint as a coalition convoy was passing near the town of Shaddadeh. It said two Kurdish fighters were lightly wounded in the blast. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the blast killed five people and wounded others.

In a Dec. 19 tweet announcing the withdrawal from Syria, Trump declared, “We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency.”
A suicide car bomb attack kills five members of the Syrian Democratic Forces while they were out on a patrol with U.S. troops in northeastern Syria.