US jets conducting strikes against the Islamic State have had to alter their flights over Syria to avoid getting too close to Russian planes, a Pentagon spokesman said Wednesday.
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The US continues to conduct airstrikes over Syria, but the missions are “not unabated” as the USA had been saying in recent days, Pentagon spokesperson Captain Jeff Davis told reporters during a briefing on Wednesday.
U.S. and Russian officials held discussions last week – at Russia’s request – on establishing measures to avoid accidents so warplanes flying over Syria would not be in the same place at the same time.
The USA denounced the violation but Washington does not consider reinstating Patriot missile defense systems that are in process of being pulled out of Turkey.
Amid Russia’s escalating military activities in Syria, the White House has warned it not to interfere in the US-led worldwide efforts to destroy the Islamic State in the strife-torn region.
While the USA military has a variety of means to gather intelligence in Iraq and Syria-which includes satellites, airborne and other technical means for collecting of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) data-precise targeting in densely populated areas with civilians present often poses enormous challenges for analysts trying to differentiate between friend and foe. One official said Moscow has not even carried out the number of strikes it claims to have launched.
Turkey is already furious with Russian Federation for violating the country’s airspace twice over the weekend.
Russia’s main airstrip in Syria is in the western city of Tartous.
Although the Russian jets did not militarily engage or attempt to shoot down the USA drones, the incidents are indicative of the general risks now unfolding over Syria.
USA and allied forces are providing air support for coalition-trained rebels, as well as groups who are fighting ISIS but also oppose Assad.
“The Russians flew along the border and we still don’t know for sure what happened”, one official told Fox News.
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The current Russian strategy of supporting the Assad regime and also hitting out at his opponents, he said, were likely to result in Russia becoming more isolated and not accomplishing its stated goals, and antagonising, if not outright angering, a significant Muslim population inside of Syria and a significant Muslim population inside of Russia.
