10.02.2018, Washington.
On February 7th, the US-led coalition bombed Russian citizens in Syria. This information was provided on February 8th on the American CBS TV-Channel, citing an unidentified source in Pentagon.
Russian citizens are reported to be present as part of pro-government Syrian forces. According to the staff of military operation with the code name Inherent Resolve, the bombing took place as “self-defense… to defeat an unprovoked attack by Syrian pro-regime forces in eastern Syria” against the Syrian Democratic Forces, where American instructors are present. The pro-government military groups to the north of Deir ez-Zor were attacked. The TV-Channel reports this case to be the first US shelling in Syria to kill Russian citizens.
At the same time, Reuters news agency reports that on February 8th, Defense Minister of the US James Mattis during his meeting with journalists stated that the American government does not have any information on killing Russians as a result of airstrikes on February 7.
Russian Ministry of Defence reports 25 Syrian militants to be injured as a result of aistrikes by the coalition in Deir ez-Zor province. They came under fire due to non-coordination of their actions with the Russian military. Russian Ministry of Defense stated there were no Russian military in the region.
Earlier, Spokesperson of the US State Department Heather Nauert stressed the willingness of the United States to restore its relations with Russia. Official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova stated that the American attack of February 7th in Syria poses many questions.
Source: Rossa Primavera news agency
