Syria Support Movement solidarity with the Syrian people
from the News Desk at The Cradle, June 8, 2023
US occupation troops in Syria have accused Russia of not “adhering to agreed-upon deconfliction protocols,” claiming the Russian air force is operating in an “unsafe and unprofessional manner,” according to a US Air Force Central (AFCENT) spokesperson that spoke with Saudi-owned outlet Al Arabiya English.
“While our pilots continue to adhere to these agreed-upon protocols, the Russian military recently departed from the standards expected of a professional Air Force, choosing instead to deliberately violate these agreements,” the unnamed official is quoted as saying.
“[Russia’s] aircraft operate in an unsafe and unprofessional manner, executing aggressive maneuvers and committing non-deconflicted incursions into our operating areas with increasing frequency,” he added.
In April, the head of the US Air Force Central Command (CENTCOM) decried that Russian jet fighters and drones have been “harassing” Washington’s occupation bases in Syria and warned that the situation raises the risk of a “miscalculation.”
Per a tenuous agreement between Washington and Moscow, Russian jets must stay at least three nautical miles away from US warplanes. Officials say claim the Kremlin’s forces have gotten as close as 150 meters to US pilots in recent months.
Washington claims to have approximately 900 troops stationed in Syria, primarily split between the massive Al-Tanf base in the south and the oil-rich northeastern region. However, observers say the real number is likely closer to 2,000 troops, who are rotated in and out from US bases in Iraq.
The US occupation of Syria is illegal under international law as it was carried out without the approval of Damascus.
Moreover, their deployment was launched by abusing the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), a sweeping, blank-check legislation that has allowed US presidents to launch dozens of military invasions without congressional approval.
Contrary to this, the Russian military entered Syria in 2015 when Damascus requested military assistance to push back against ISIS and other extremist groups let loose by the US and its allies.
Alongside the Hmeimim air base, from which the Russian and Syrian air forces launch joint patrols and airstrikes, Moscow also controls the Tartus naval facility, which in the future is expected to be able to host up to eleven Russian warships, including nuclear vessels.
In January, the Russian defense ministry revealed that Al-Jarrah military air base in Syria’s north had also been restored and would be used by the allied armies. The base, located east of Aleppo, was recaptured from the hands of ISIS in 2017.
During a visit to Moscow earlier this year, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad suggested that Russian military presence in Syria should become permanent and said he would welcome any proposals from the Kremlin to boost troop numbers.
