Syria: US and Russian troops 'in standoff' claims expert
Footage of a stand-off between US and Russian forces has sparked panic over a war breaking out in the Middle East. Stunning video of the showdown showed a Russian-flagged armored vehicle and what appeared to be two US Army armored vehicles standing on a highway off-ramp. Russian helicopters and US warplanes were quickly seen flying over and monitoring the stand-off, which took place in Tal Tamr, Syria.
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It is the fourth skirmish between the two forces in just eight days, as US officials raise the alarm on an outbreak of violence, either deliberate or accidental, between the two sides.
During each stand-off, American troop patrols have blocked a Russian convoy from accessing oil fields.
While it is unclear how long the stand-offs lasted or how they exactly ended, the tense encounter haven’t involved the use of force.
Commenting on that incident, a top US-led coalition commander said "the Russians are always testing us”.
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Both US and Russian forces maintain bases in northeastern Syria.
James Jeffrey, the US special envoy the anti-Islamic State coalition, told reporters that the rise in tensions could lead to hostile action between two powers.
He said that the Russian troops were violating agreements between Washington and Moscow to stay out of one another’s way.
Mr Jeffrey explained: “These are not daily occurrences, but they have been increasing in number, and thus it is troubling."
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Some US military officials in the Middle East have described the encounters as more frequent, saying roadside confrontations between US and Russian forces are happening daily or several times a day.
Mr Jeffrey said Russia appeared to be making the incursions “to challenge our presence in the northeast”.
The US envoy went on to commend the professionalism of US troops on the ground for keeping these incidents with the Russians from escalating.
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In 2018, US troops had a deadly engagement with an unknown number of Russian mercenaries in Syria after the mercenary force supporting pro-Syrian regime troops attacked US partner forces in Deir ez-Zor province.
President Trump ordered a full withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria in October but so far the troop numbres have only dropped from about 1,000 to 600,
Russia has waged an air and sea campaign in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since 2015,
The US-led coalition initially deployed in the war-torn country in 2014.