Syria: 3 troops killed by strikes; US blames Russia


Associated Press

BEIRUT

Syria on Monday accused the U.S.-led coalition of bombing an army camp in the eastern part of the country, killing three Syrian soldiers and wounding 13, but a senior U.S. military official said the Pentagon is “certain” the strike was from a Russian warplane.

The dispute over the deadly airstrike underscored the increasingly chaotic skies over Syria as various powers hit targets in the war-ravaged country. The U.S.-led alliance began its airstrikes in Syria in September 2014, while Russia’s air campaign began a year later.

In a letter to the United Nations, the government in Damascus said four aircraft from the coalition targeted the army camp in the eastern city of Deir el-Zour on Sunday night. In addition to the casualties among the troops, it said the attack destroyed armored and other vehicles and a weapons and ammunition depot.

“This hampers efforts to combat terrorism and proves once again that this coalition lacks seriousness and credibility to effectively fight terrorism,” according to the letter, which was published in Syrian state media. The government refers to all those fighting to overthrow President Bashar Assad as “terrorists.”

It was the first time Syria has accused the U.S.-led coalition of hitting its troops.

The U.S. denied the claim, saying four alliance airstrikes in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour all hit oil wells about 34 miles southeast of Ayyash.

“We did not strike any vehicles or personnel targets in this area. We have no indication any Syrian soldiers were even near our strikes,” the coalition statement said, adding that it takes allegations of potential collateral damage seriously and investigates them.

Moreover, a U.S. military official said Washington was “certain” it was a Russian airstrike that hit the camp. The official spoke on condition of anonymity and was unable to discuss the matter publicly.

There was no immediate comment from Russian Defense Ministry.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on activists in Syria, also reported the airstrikes and a similar death toll. The Observatory said the strikes were “believed” to have been carried out by the coalition.

The planes hit the camp known as Sa’iqa, the Observatory said, though it gave a slightly different account, saying the camp is near the village of Ayyash in the western countryside of Deir el-Zour.

A Facebook page used by Islamic State militants to post news said several coalition warplanes flew over IS positions about 8:30 p.m. Sunday, then headed toward areas controlled by the Syrian government and struck an arms depot in the village of Ayyash, west of Deir el-Zour. Several strong explosions were heard, it said.

The city of Deir el-Zour is mainly held by the Islamic State group, but the Syrian government maintains a presence in some parts of it.

The IS-affiliated Aamaq news agency released a video showing wide destruction in a residential neighborhood in Deir el-Zour, saying it was bombed by Russian warplanes. The video showed a wounded child being carried away and a dead boy was on a stretcher.

The video appeared genuine and corresponded to other Associated Press reporting of the events.

A U.S.-led coalition has been striking at IS targets in Syria for more than a year, and France and Britain recently began their own airstrikes. Russia is also carrying out airstrikes, in coordination with the Damascus government.

By using this site, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use.

» Accept
» Learn More