Will forcefully protect personnel in Syria: Biden after Iranian drone kills US worker

Ottawa, March 25

President Joe Biden said on Friday that the US would respond “forcefully” to protect its personnel after US forces retaliated with airstrikes on sites in Syria used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard following a suspected Iranian-linked attack on Thursday that killed a US contractor and wounded seven other Americans in northeast Syria.

Tit-for-tat strikes

• Three Syrian soldiers, 11 fighters and five non-Syrian fighters were killed, as per Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
• The initial fire exchange between the US personnel and fighters prompted a string of tit-for-tat strikes

Not seeking conflict with Iran

The United States does not seek conflict with Iran but Iran and its proxies should be prepared for the US to act forcefully to protect its people. Joe Biden, US President

“The United States does not seek conflict with Iran,” Biden said in Ottawa, Canada, where he is on a state visit. But he said Iran and its proxies should be prepared for the US “to act forcefully to protect our people. That’s exactly what happened last night.” Activists said the US bombing killed at least four people.

The death toll in US air strikes on pro-Iran installations in eastern Syria has risen to 19 fighters, a Syrian war monitor said on Saturday, in one of the deadliest exchanges between the US and Iran-aligned forces in years.

Canada and the United States on Friday changed a two-decade-old refugee agreement as part of their attempts to reduce the record influx of asylum seekers entering Canada via unofficial border crossings.

The deal was the news highlight of US President Joe Biden’s first visit to Canada as President and could provide some relief to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is under pressure from political opponents to take action.

Two Syrian activist groups allegedly reported a new wave of airstrikes on eastern Syria that hit positions of Iran-backed militias after rockets were fired at a Conoco gas plant. — Agencies