On Saturday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Syria to meet Assad and inspect the Russian air base there.
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The announcement came a day after The Pentagon said it had questioned Moscow over Russian air strikes conducted against U.S.-backed Syrian opposition forces last week, saying Moscow had failed to heed US warnings.
USA military officials “expressed strong concerns about the attack on the coalition-supported counter-ISIL [Islamic State of Iraq and Levant] forces at the al-Tanaf garrison, which included forces that are participants in the cessation of hostilities in Syria”, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said.
Syrian President Bashar al Assad met Russia’s defence minister during a visit to the Syrian capital and discussed military cooperation, state television said on Saturday. In March, U.S. rocket artillery based in Jordan was used to assist Syrian fighters near At-Tanf who were fighting to take Islamic State positions south of Palmyra.
Months of Russian airstrikes have helped Syrian government forces advance against opposition fighters, but also have created another area of tension with the United States.
” U.S. defense officials said that Russian forces in Al-Tanaf targeted a meeting of combatants supported by the US-led coalition that was held to coordinate the fight against ISIS”. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, said the area targeted in the strike Thursday was more than 180 miles away from locations earlier designated by the U.S.as controlled by legitimate opposition forces. He said he went to Damascus as President Vladimir Putin’s personal envoy.
“(Defense) Department officials requested Russian responses to address those concerns. He said that could be achieved through drafting a new constitution and holding elections.
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On Friday, US media burst with reports about alleged Russian attack on Syrian opposition forces in At-Tanf area. The minister ordered the Russian Reconciliation Center at the base to intensify contacts with local administrations and militants to encourage them to join the cease-fire, Konashenkov said, adding that Shoigu also instructed increasing humanitarian assistance to civilians.
