Russia says latest U.S. Syria strike hit civilians, was unacceptable

Russia says latest U.S. Syria strike hit civilians, was unacceptable
Fri May 19, 2017 13:18:04

A military source on the Syrian government side said on Friday that an air strike by the U.S.-led coalition against a pro-Damascus militia the day before hit "one of our military points", without elaborating, Syrian state TV reported.

(cbc) The air strike late on Thursday killed several people and caused material damage, the source said, saying that this hampered efforts by the Syrian army and its allies to fight ISIS.

The unnamed official's comments were carried Friday by Syrian state TV a day after the U.S.-led coalition said a U.S. airstrike struck pro-Syrian government forces that the coalition said posed a threat to American troops and allied rebels operating near the border with Jordan.

The attack was the first such close confrontation between U.S. forces and fighters backing President Bashar al-Assad.

The Syrian official did not give a number for how many soldiers were killed but said the Syrian army is fighting terrorism and no one has the right to decide which areas the army can carry out operations.

Russia says strike 'unacceptable'

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said on Friday that the U.S. strike had hit civilians and was unacceptable, Russian news agencies reported.

Gatilov, who the agencies said was speaking in Geneva, said the U.S. strike had violated Syria's sovereignty and would not help efforts to find a political solution to the conflict there.

*AP&Reuters

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