The Pentagon said the USA -led coalition aircraft were sent near Hasaka in response to the bombings to protect coalition special operation forces on the ground.
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Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters the coalition aircraft reached the area around the city of Hasaka as the two Syrian SU-24s were leaving, and the US special operation forces were in the area where the strikes were taking place.
The incident Monday in the air above Hasakah, an area held by Syrian Kurdish forces battling ISIS, appears to be the closest military encounter yet between American and Syrian government forces in the two years since US jets began flying over Syria as part of a USA -led coalition’s fight against ISIS. He also said he believes this is the first time the US has scrambled aircraft in response to an incident like this involving Syrian government bombings.
“We immediately contacted the Russians via the MOU channel, established for de-confliction and to ensure the safety of Coalition forces and their counter-ISIL [Daesh] efforts”, Rankine-Galloway said.
“The Syrian Air Force conducted strikes against ground forces in the area vicinity of Hasakah yesterday”, Rankine-Galloway said.
He declined to say which coalition forces tried to reach the Syrians.
Fierce clashes were taking place today in Hasakah’s city centre, while the Syrian regime continued its air strikes on Kurdish-held areas despite U.S. warnings.
The missiles add an extra dimension to the aerial campaign Russian Federation has conducted since September in support of President Bashar Assad’s military. The Russian military says two of its ships have launched cruise missiles at targets in Syria from eastern Mediterranean.
The attack against the Kurdish YPG, which took place in Hasakah province in northern Syria, was announced by the YPG and confirmed to CNN by United States defense officials.
Thursday, in fact, was the first time American fighter aircraft were scrambled in response to a Syrian government attack against the anti-terrorist Kurdish YPG – also known as the People’s Protection Units – which operates in the north.
Washington regards them as the most effective fighting force on the ground in Syria and has provided weapons and special forces advisers.
Last week, the Syria Democratic Forces, a coalition led by the YPG, captured the former Daesh stronghold of Manbij in northern Syria under the cover of airstrikes by the US -led coalition.
Rami Abdulrahman, Observatory director, said the fighting began this week after pro-government militiamen detained a number of Kurdish youths, a step that had followed advances by Kurdish security forces towards government-held areas. So far, 16 people, including six women and children, have been killed on the Kurdish side.
“We are fighting mercenaries”, Haj Mansour said, in reference to pro-government gunmen fighting on the side of President Bashar Assad’s forces.
“As we’ve said in the past, the Syrian regime would be well-advised not to interfere with coalition forces or our partners”.
The Russians were asked to tell the Syrian government that USA aircraft would defend its troops on the ground if they were threatened, Davis said.
The additional US combat air patrols will monitor the situation and provide assistance to coalition forces if needed, but are not enforcing any kind of no-fly zone, Davis said.
A joint team of elite American special operations troops and Kurdish fighters working together on the ground in northern Syria came under fire from Syrian Su-24 warplanes, prompting urgent calls for help. Small groups have routinely been moving in and out of the country to conduct the training and advising mission.
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Rebel-held Madaya near Damascus is under siege by government forces and their allies, and government-held Foua in northern Idlib province, is besieged by opposition fighters.
