U.S. forces, allied militias mobilize in E. Syria against gov't-controlled areas: war monitor

DAMASCUS, July 16 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. forces and allied Kurdish militias have mobilized in Syria's eastern province of Deir al-Zour against government-controlled areas, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said Sunday.

The U.S. forces and the militias of Syrian Democratic Forces have mobilized their troops inside the al-Omar and Koniko energy fields in the countryside of Deir al-Zour in a bid to attack seven towns controlled by the government forces and allied Iran-backed fighters east of the Euphrates River, said a report by the war monitor.

The final aim of the potential attack is to reach the government-held cities of al-Mayadeen and al-Bukamal west of the Euphrates River, both largely controlled by Hezbollah, a Lebanese armed group backed by Iran, the Britain-based watchdog added.

The U.S. forces want to take control of both cities as they are conduits for moving weaponry from Iran through Iraq and Syria to the Hezbollah in Lebanon, it noted.

Skirmishes and drone attacks between the U.S. forces and Iran-backed fighters, which the Syrian government hailed as forces of resistance against the U.S. occupation, have recently intensified.