abi y un ▁milit ias ▁had ▁control ▁of ▁May adin , ▁west ▁of ▁Ab u ▁Kam al , ▁both ▁on ▁the ▁south ▁bank ▁of ▁the ▁Eu phr ates ▁River . ▁The ▁Sy rian ▁Democratic ▁Forces ▁( S DF ) ▁had ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁north ▁bank . ▁ ▁Fox ▁News ▁reported ▁on ▁ 4 ▁September ▁that ▁a ▁new ▁“ class ified ▁Iran ian ▁project ”, ▁the ▁Im am ▁Ali ▁military ▁base , ▁was ▁being ▁constructed ▁near ▁Ab u ▁Kam al , ▁which ▁was ▁confirmed ▁by ▁satellite ▁images . ▁On ▁ 9 ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁reports ▁emer ged ▁that ▁“ I ran ian ” ▁or ▁“ I ran ian - back ed ▁milit ias ” ▁had ▁been ▁target ed ▁in ▁a irst rik es , ▁that ▁appeared ▁to ▁be ▁similar ▁to ▁a ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁a irst rike ▁that ▁target ed ▁a ▁K ata ' ib ▁He z bol lah ▁base ▁at ▁a ▁similar ▁location . ▁At ▁least ▁ 1 8 ▁Iran ian ▁and ▁pro - I ran ▁f igh ters ▁were ▁killed ▁in ▁the ▁September ▁attack . ▁There ▁were ▁also ▁five ▁similar ▁myster ious ▁a irst rik es ▁in ▁Ira q ▁between ▁ 1 9 ▁July ▁and ▁ 2 5 ▁August . ▁ ▁On ▁ 3 0 ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁after ▁eight ▁years ▁of ▁closure , ▁Sy ria ▁and ▁Ira q ▁re open ed ▁the ▁Al - Q a ' im ▁border ▁crossing ▁between ▁Ab u ▁Kam al ▁and ▁Al - Q a '