(Newswire.net — September 18, 2016) — US-led coalition jets bombed Syrian government troops killing 62 and wounding over 100 soldiers who were fighting ISIS troops on the ground. ISIS fighters took advantage of the situation near the eastern city of Deir ez-Zor and advanced on the battlefield.
A Syrian army general reported on Syrian national television that US-led coalition jets, two F-16 and two A-10, entered from the territory of Iraq and bombed the government army positioned on the al-Tharda Mountain in the region of Deir ez-Zor.
Russian Major-General Igor Konashenkov was unsure if the attacks were result of a misunderstanding of the coordinates or a calculated move to destroy the fragile ceasefire treaty signed by two highest U.S. and Russian officials, Kerry and Lavrov, previously arranged by President Obama and President Putin.
“If the airstrike was caused by the wrong coordinates of targets than it’s a direct consequence of the stubborn unwillingness of the American side to coordinate with Russia in its actions against terrorist groups in Syria,” Konashenkov stressed.
The Defense Ministry confirmed the report by the Syrian national news agency SANA, that ISIS fighters attacked weakened Syrian army positions, right after the bombing.
“Immediately after the airstrike by coalition planes, Islamic State militants launched their offensive,” Konashenkov said, adding that the fighting is still underway in the area of the local airport used for humanitarian aid.
The Syrian General Command directly accused the US and its allies of supporting ISIS.
US officials stated that the bombing of Syrian troops was unintentional, emphasizing the complexity of the situation in Syria.
The Pentagon issued a statement saying “Syria is a complex situation with various military forces and militias in close proximity, but [the] coalition would not intentionally strike a known Syrian military unit.”
Since the ceasefire treaty, signed last week, Russia has repeatedly complained that the US is failing to keep its part of the deal. On the other hand, the US has blamed Russia for not pressuring Damascus enough to facilitate humanitarian access to Syria.