Pentagon was informed about area of Russia’s military op in Deir ez-Zor in advance – Moscow

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The Russian Defense Ministry has denied Pentagon allegations that it bombed US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces near Deir ez-Zor. The Russian military said that its US partners were informed about the area of the operation beforehand.

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“To avoid unnecessary escalation, the command of the Russian troops in Syria revealed the boundaries of the military operation in Deir ez-Zor to the American partners through the existing communication channel,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

“Within the framework of this operation, the fighters, armored vehicles, and objects of terrorists are being destroyed on both western and eastern banks of the Euphrates.

At the same time, the Russian Air Force makes pinpoint strikes only on reconnaissance targets confirmed by several channels in IS-controlled areas,” Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov said.

“Over the past few days, on the eastern bank of the Euphrates, Russian control and reconnaissance facilities have not identified a single combat of Islamic State terrorists with armed representatives of any ‘third force.’ Therefore, only representatives of the international coalition can answer the question as to how ‘opposition members’ or ‘military advisers of the international coalition’ managed to get to the IS-held areas in the eastern part of Deir ez-Zor without striking a blow.”

The Pentagon stated on Saturday that Russian forces struck a target east of the Euphrates River in Syria near Deir ez-Zor “known to the Russians to contain Syrian Democratic Forces and Coalition advisers,” and several SDF fighters were wounded as a result.

“Multinational coalition troops advising and assisting the SDF were present but were not wounded as a result of the Russian strike,” the statement added.