U.S.-led coalition strikes pro-Syrian gov't forces in Deir al-Zour

DAMASCUS, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-led coalition struck positions of pro-Syrian government forces in the eastern Syrian province of Deir al-Zour to defend its partners, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said Wednesday.

The U.S.-backed SDF said the coalition's move was in retaliation to the pro-Syrian government forces' targeting of U.S.-backed forces in that area.

The SDF cited a statement from the U.S. coalition which said "we (the U.S. coalition) have responded to the unjustified attack by pro-Syrian government forces on our partners of SDF ... We will defend our partners."

But it gave no details about the time of the alleged attack.

There was no immediate comment from Damascus about the U.S.-led strikes on the positions of the pro-government forces in Deir al-Zour. Enditem