Twice in the last few days, Syrian jets performing air strikes close to where U.S. SOF are operating in northeastern Syria caused coalition aircraft to scramble.
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“As we’ve said in the past, the Syrian regime would be well-advised not to interfere with coalition forces or our partners”, Davis said.
Heavy fighting entered its second day in the northeast Syrian city of Hasakeh, where Kurdish YPG forces battles the Syrian Army over territory on the ground, and USA and Syrian warplanes loomed overhead, setting the stage for an even bigger battle.
Deadly clashes erupted between pro-government militia and the US-backed Kurdish forces on Wednesday.
The Kurds, who control much of northeastern and northern Syria along the Turkish border where they have proclaimed an autonomous Kurdish region, recently demanded that the pro-government National Defense Forces disband in Hasakah.
The operations were part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the USA military’s central effort against the Islamic State militant group in both Syria and Iraq – a campaign that’s supported by Bashar Assad’s regime and their top ally, Russia.
He told reporters the U.S. had warned Syria via its communication channel with Russian Federation that it would defend coalition troops, adding the Syrian airstrikes “did not directly impact our forces” but they were “close enough that it gives us great pause”. It is thought to be the first time this has happened. Davis also confirmed that this is the closest USA forces on the ground have come to an attack from the Syrian regime.
No US forces were wounded during the Syrian bombing, according to officials. Early on Thursday, ground forces tried to contact the pilots to make them stop their strikes, but without success.
These actions required an appropriate response from the army, the statement said.
The Observatory said thousands of inhabitants had begun to flee the city, where bread was running out and electricity has been cut.
After Russia intervened in Syria militarily a year ago, Moscow and Washington developed channels of communications to prevent simultaneous United States and Russian air strikes in Syria from accidentally leading to a military clash between the world’s two leading nuclear powers.
Tehran, Moscow and Beijing have all presented their operations in Syria as missions to fight Islamist terror groups alongside Washington.
The Kremlin also launched large-scale air strikes on Islamist targets across Syria, in the north near Aleppo and in the northeast around Deir-ez-Zor, from warships in the Black Sea and strategic bombers flying out of bases in Iran and Syria. It was the first time since the conflict began in Syria in March 2011 that the army of the Syrian air had struck Kurdish positions.
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In the central province of Homs, 20 civilians including at least five children died overnight in suspected regime air raids and artillery fire on a cluster of towns and villages, the Observatory said Saturday.
