“Today, in areas close to the Deir al-Zour Airport, the aircraft from the worldwide anti-Islamic State coalition carried out four airstrikes against units of the Syrian government troops surrounded by terrorists”, the ministry’s spokesman Maj.
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The U.S. Central Command statement was issued late today, after Syria and Russian Federation said the U.S. -led coalition had struck a Syrian military base in Deir el-Zour that is surrounded by ISIS militants, enabling them to advance.
Russia, along with Iran and Arab Shi’ite militias backs President Bashar Assad, while some of the Sunni rebels seeking to unseat him are supported by the United States, Turkey and Gulf Arab states.
Under the deal, Assad’s forces would refrain from striking areas held by other opposition forces backed by the U.S.
The Australian Department of Defence has offered its condolences to the families of Syrian soldiers killed or wounded in a US -led bombing campaign on Saturday, in which Australia participated and Russian Federation said hit Syrian military personnel and vehicles.
US Ambassador Samantha Power expressed regret over the US-led coalition strike on a Syrian army post, but dismissed Russia’s call for an emergency Security Council meeting as a “stunt”.
“While we are still trying to determine all the facts, if we mistakenly struck a Syrian military position we regret doing so, especially the loss of lives”, Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said in an emailed statement. “The coalition will review this strike and the circumstances surrounding it to see if any lessons can be learned”.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group gave a toll of 83 soldiers killed, as it confirmed the strikes were US-led coalition raids. But he held out hope that the USA will find a way to convince us that it’s serious about finding a political solution in Syria and fighting terrorism.
The Russian Defence Ministry said US jets had killed more than 60 Syrian soldiers in four air strikes by two F-16s and two A-10s coming from the direction of Iraq.
The Russian military said two F-16 and two A-10 jets that flew into Syrian airspace from neighbouring Iraq carried out the 1400 GMT attack.
Even if the bombardment of the Syrian government troops was a mistake, the spokesman said, it is still a effect of Washington’s unwillingness to coordinate its anti-terror efforts with Moscow.
He appeared to be referring to the Fatah al-Sham Front, an Al Qaeda-linked group previously known as the Nusra Front, which is deeply embedded in rebel-held areas and fights alongside more moderate groups.
Earlier on Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin cast doubt over Washington’s commitment but also said he believed securing a ceasefire was a common goal for the two countries, which both agreed to extend on Friday.
But Washington has warned Russian Federation that unless aid is delivered to Aleppo, it will not move ahead with the formation of the joint coordination center.
The U.N. has accused Assad’s government of obstructing aid access to the contested city.
The Syrian government said it has done all that is necessary to facilitate the entry of aid convoys to Aleppo, but that armed groups have failed to withdraw from the supply routes and are committing “dangerous, provocative acts”.
Russian Federation has bitterly complained about what it says is a USA reluctance to abide by the terms of a shaky ceasefire brokered by Moscow and Washington which it says made provision for joint targeting of Islamic State and other militant groups.
The Interfax news agency quoted Col. Sergei Kopytsin as saying Saturday that mortar fire and improvised rockets struck Aleppo 26 times.
“The situation in Syria is worsening”, Russian General Vladimir Savchenko said in a televised briefing earlier. Syria’s state news agency SANA said insurgents have violated the cease-fire 12 times in the last 12 hours. No casualties were reported.
Syrian activists said government forces have meanwhile killed five civilians.
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Syria’s conflict has killed more than 300,000 people and displaced half the country’s population since March 2011.
