Russians
reportedly in ‘hand-grenade range’ of friendly US troops in Syria
By Chris Perez
March 28,
2017 | 8:05pm
The Russians
have come within “hand-grenade range” of American troops in Syria — sparking
fears of friendly fire and increased tensions, a report says.
“Escalation
is bound to happen,” explained Andreas Krieg, a professor at the Defense
Studies Department at King’s College London.
Speaking to
NBC News, he warned that due to their close proximity, the two nations — which
are now working together in the region with Kurdish YPG fighters to combat ISIS
— could wind up inadvertently firing upon one another.
“These
surrogates are doing their own operations and then the sponsors are doing air
cover and artillery cover,” Krieg said.
US commanders
first revealed how the forces were bordering one another while speaking to
reporters earlier this month, according
to NBC.
“[Russian and
American soldiers] have converged literally within hand-grenade range of one
another,” said Army Lt. Gen. Steven Townsend, commander of Combined Joint Task
Force Operation Inherent Resolve.
While an
estimated 1,000 American troops were believed to be stationed in Syria last
month, that number may in fact be larger now that President Trump has sent
several hundred more there in recent weeks, NBC reports.
“Fighting
ISIS and fighting the jihadis is absolutely the first priority of the [Donald]
Trump administration,” Krieg said. “This is why [Defense Secretary James]
Mattis is going so hardcore after ISIS. And almost everything goes as long as
they are fighting jihadis at the same time.”
Russia is
believed to have 1,600 to 4,500 soldiers in Syria, NBC reports.
Before
teaming up with the Kurdish fighters, the US and Russians were each on opposite
sides of the Syrian civil war — with the Americans backing the rebels and the
Kremlin supporting President Bashar al-Assad.
According to
US Central Command, their military commanders are now in contact with each
other and working together to avoid accidental casualties.
The Kremlin
ultimately wants “an alliance between Russia and the United States in fighting
terrorism, and to be recognized as an equal partner with the United States,”
Igor Sutyagin, a senior research fellow at London’s Royal United Services
Institute, told NBC.
Original
post: nypost.com
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