Tensions Continue Rising Between Russia and The U.S. In Syria
Tensions between the U.S. and Russia are heating up in Syria. Russia is now accusing the U.S. of using phosphorus bombs, a claim the Pentagon has denied, while the U.S. is planning for potential conflict with Russia in Syria on the ground in Al-Tanf (a key U.S. outpost base).
Russia’s military accused two U.S. F-15 fighter jets of dropping white phosphorus bombs over Syria’s Deir al-Zor province on Saturday, the TASS and RIA news agencies reported.
In a statement to Reuters, a Pentagon spokesman denied that U.S. planes dropped phosphorus bombs.
“At this time, we have not received any reports of any use of white phosphorous,” said Commander Sean Robertson. “None of the military units in the area are even equipped with white phosphorous munitions of any kind.”
The U.S. airstrikes targeted the village of Hajin, the final major stronghold of Islamic State in Syria.
Meanwhile, the last rebel hotbed against Syria’s government in Idlib is being threatened by Russia through threatening a U.S. training camp in Al-Tanf.
This comes after Russian jets bombarded Idlib earlier this week, hours after Trump warned in a tweet that Assad “must not recklessly attack Idlib Province.”
This has prompted the U.S. to send more than 100 U.S. Marines to a remote coalition outpost in southern Syria at Al-Tanf after Russia threatened to attack militants in the area, the Pentagon said.
The base is used by U.S. special forces as a training ground for Syrian fighters who are confronting Islamic State militants, according to Stripes.
U.S. military officials sternly warned Russia and Syria not to go forward with an attack within a 35-mile-wide security zone that the U.S. maintains around Al-Tanf.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
