29 Mar 2024
Sunday 19 June 2016 - 18:29
Story Code : 219321

Russia, US agree to coordinate military operations in Syria



Russia says it has reached an agreement with the US to improve coordination between their military operationsin Syria where they are backing opposing sides.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesmanIgor Konashenkov also rejected on Sunday the Pentagon's accusations that it had deliberately targeted US-backed militantsin Syria.

He saidRussia is pushing the UStohelp produce a shared map of the positions of fighting forces toavoid incidents.

The Pentagon said on Saturday it had questioned Moscow overRussian airstrikes conducted against US-backed militantslast week.

Konashenkov dismissed the allegation, saying the Russian military had warned the USin advance about the planned strike, but the Pentagon had failed to provide coordinates.

The Russian military, he said, had proposed months ago to share information about locations of various forces involved in military action in Syria but the Pentagon hasn't been forthcoming.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said the United States hadasked Moscow to stop conducting airstrikes against the al-Nusra Front terrorists in Syria.

On Thursday, Lavrov saidthe USwas likely seeking to preserve the al-Qaeda-affiliated groupas a tool to unseat Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Russia has long insisted that the so-called moderate militantssupported by the US in Syriashould leave the areas held by Nusra militants.

Speaking on the sidelines of an economic forum in St Petersburg last week, Lavrov cast doubt onUS claims of beingunable to pull "moderate" militantsout of the territories controlled by terrorists.

"I have the impression that some game is being played here and they want perhaps to preserve al-Nusra in some form and then use it to overthrow the Syrian government, he added.



[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="459"] This file photo taken on December 16, 2015 shows two Russian Sukhoi Su-25 bombers at the Russian Hmeimim military base in Latakia province, in the northwest of Syria. AFP[/caption]

Russia launched an air campaign against Daesh and other terrorist groupslast Septemberupon a request by the Damascus government.

On Saturday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Syria to meet Assad and inspect theHemeimeem air base in Syria's coastal province of Lattakia.

The Defense Ministry said the talks focused on cooperation between the two countriesand "some aspects of cooperation in the fight against terrorist groups."

By Press TV

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