A Russian Su-24 strike aircraft in the sky over the Khmeimim airbase in Syria. Photo: Dmitriy Vinogradov / RIA Novosti
Warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) had destroyed two hideouts used by militants who came from an area controlled by United States forces in central Syria, the deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation in Syria announced on June 4.
“The Russian aerospace forces destroyed two places of the deployment of militants who left the al-Tanf area and were hiding in hard-to-reach areas of the al-Amur ridge in the Homs governorate,” Major General Yury Popov said in a briefing.
On the same day, video footage surfaced online showing what appears to be the strikes reported by the Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria.
Around 200 U.S. troops are usually deployed at garrison in al-Tanf, along with hundreds of militants from a proxy group known as the Syrian Free Army. The coalition maintains a 55-kilometer no-fly zone around al-Tanf. Despite this, VKS warplanes fly over the garrison on a regular basis.
This was the second wave of Russian strikes to hit militants linked to the U.S. in central Syria in less than a week. The first was reported on June 2.
Attacks on government forces in the central region increased in recent months, with ISIS still in the lead of the years-long insurgency in the region.
The U.S. claims that it is present in al-Tanf to counter ISIS. However, the real purpose of the garrison is to block the strategic Damascus-Baghdad highway. In addition, the garrison is reportedly being used as an outpost to collect intelligence and facilitate Israeli attacks against Syria.
Syrian and Russian officials have repeatedly accused U.S. forces in al-Tanf of training and even arming terrorists, including members of ISIS.
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same old stuff.
facts are 50% of syrians are not even in the contry anymore. its no homes for them even.
facts are assad land only is kept by russia and iran(and hisbollah) and crimes.
is it ukraine that you describe with just a change of owner… us and europeen proxies?
…you are right on all points!
the syrians who have left the country are sunnis and the whole of syria is happy about their absence!
crimes are committed every day in syria by israeli actors who are not satisfied with their crimes in lebanon or gaza strip!
what? russians attacking al qeada in syria, those american trained terrorists, american paid terrorist, those same terrorists who brought down aircraft, destroying two sky scrappers, frightening building seven, enough to frighten it to fall down in fear! well isn’t someone blowing smoke up your backside if you can actually believe this horse sh1t!
if you’re sitting in the center of europe, that will become the last place you wanna be. you’ve been given no frak for anyone? well, imagine how many fraks the russians are going to give for a bunch of boot-lickers, who didn’t stop shaking since ww2.