Islamic Republic-backed terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria vacated their military posts Monday in anticipation of U.S. retaliation following the death of three American soldiers near the Northeastern part of Jordan over the weekend.
The terrorist fighters reportedly evacuated their positions along the Iraq-Syria border, leaving only one or two guards to operate each post, a source from the Islamic Resistance in Iraq umbrella group told al-Araby al-Jadeed, a London-based pan-Arab news outlet owned by Qatari company Fadaat Media. After leaving their positions, the terrorist leaders decreased their use of mobile phones for fear of being tracked and targeted, the source told Al-Araby al-Jadeed.
The Tehran-supported fighters in east Syria also reportedly began evacuating their posts in strongholds in Mayadeen and Boukamal, Omar Abu Layla, a Europe-based activist who heads the Deir Ezzor 24 media outlet told The Associated Press (AP).
Following the weekend attack, President Joe Biden said the U.S. would “hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner of our choosing.” Biden blamed the deadly attack on “radical Iran-backed militia groups.”
According to reports, the Iran-backed proxies struck American troops residing in their barracks early in the morning on Sunday.