Pentagon asks Russia not to bomb US-backed militants in Syria

Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook

The United States has called on Russia not to target US-backed militants in southern Syria, a Pentagon spokesman has said.

US military officials "expressed strong concerns about the attack on the coalition-supported counter-ISIL forces at the At-Tanf garrison, which included forces that are participants in the cessation of hostilities in Syria," Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said on Saturday, after they held talks with Russian military officials on a video link.  

He added that the US officials "emphasized that those concerns would be addressed through ongoing diplomatic discussions on the cessation of hostilities."

The Pentagon claimed that Russian forces based in Al-Tanaf in southern Syria targeted a meeting of US-supported militants who were coordinating the fight against the Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group in Syria and Iraq.

The US military officials said the militants belonged to the New Syrian Army, which has been trained by the United States and United Kingdom.  They added that Iraqi tribal fighters were also attacked by Russians.

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry said that Russian forces had not conducted any strikes against militant forces included in the ceasefire.

"Regarding safety, department officials conveyed that Russia's continued strikes at Al-Tanaf, even after US attempts to inform Russian forces through proper channels of on-going coalition air support to the counter-ISIL forces, created safety concerns for US and coalition forces," Cook said.

"Department officials requested Russian responses to address those concerns. The two sides reiterated the need to adhere to measures to enhance operational safety and avoid accidents and misunderstandings in the air space over Syria,” he added. 

Daesh terrorists, who were initially trained by the CIA in Jordan in 2012 to destabilize the Syrian government, now control large parts of Iraq and Syria. They are engaged in crimes against humanity in the areas under their control.

Smoke rises over Syrian town of Kobani after a US airstrike, as seen from the Mursitpinar border crossing on the Turkish-Syrian border in the town of Suruc. (Reuters file photo)

A picture taken on April 28, 2016 shows a general view of the damaged Al-Quds hospital  building (R) following airstrikes on the neighborhood of Sukkari in the city of Aleppo. (AFP photo) 

US warplanes have been conducting airstrikes against ISIL in Iraq since August of 2014. Some Western states have also participated in some of the strikes in Iraq.

Since September 2014, the US and some of its Arab allies have been carrying out airstrikes against Daesh inside Syria without any authorization from Damascus or a UN mandate.

The US-led coalition has done little to stop the Daesh's advances in parts of Syria and in Iraq.

Some analysts have criticized the US-led military campaign, saying the strikes are only meant to benefit US weapons manufacturers.

In September 2015, Russia launched its own air offensive against the terrorists who were still wreaking havoc in Syria. The Russian campaign, analysts say, has broken the backbone of ISIL and other militants, and has provided the Assad government an opportunity to defeat the foreign-sponsored terrorist onslaught.

In recent months, the Syrian army, backed by the Russian air power, has been making major gains against Takfiri groups, recapturing several strategic areas from their grip, particularly in the strategic northern province of Aleppo.