US seeks answers over Russian strikes on Syrian rebels
WASHINGTON - The Pentagon said on Saturday it has questioned Moscow over air strikes against US-backed Syrian opposition forces earlier this week, saying Russian forces failed to heed US warnings to stop the attack.
In a video call with Russian counterparts, the US Department of Defense "expressed strong concerns" about the strikes that hit US-backed Syrian rebels battling Islamic State near the al-Tanf border crossing with Iraq on Thursday, it said in a statement.
According to the Pentagon, coalition-backed fighters in Syria were attacked in al-Tanf even though they were part of the "cessation of hostilities," an agreement aimed at creating a truce in the war-torn country.
The attacks continued even after the United States alerted Russian forces, the Pentagon said in the statement following what it called an "extraordinary session" with Russian counterparts.
