U.S. troops who repelled Russian mercenaries prepare for more attacks
An oil and natural gas refinery that is guarded by a U.S. base in Deir ez-Zor, Syria.
DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syria — Standing on a windswept mound, Brig. Gen. Jonathan Braga pointed to the spot just a mile away from where Russian mercenaries and fighters loyal to the Syrian government fired at his soldiers.
"Those artillery rounds could have landed and killed Americans and that's why we continue to prepare our defenses," said Braga, the director of operations for the U.S.-led anti-Islamic State coalition.
Braga's forces repelled the surprise assault from the pro-Bashar al-Assad fighters and the Russian private military contractors. The Feb. 7 clash was the first time in 50 years that Americans and Russians have engaged in direct combat
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Braga's forces repelled the surprise assault from the pro-Bashar al-Assad fighters and the Russian private military contractors. The Feb. 7 clash was the first time in 50 years that Americans and Russians have engaged in direct combat.
While there were no U.S. casualties, Braga worries that more clashes may follow. The Americans and their allies are fortifying embankments to prepare for potential future confrontations.
There are around 2,000 American troops in Syria fighting ISIS, which has been pushed out of much of the territory it once controlled.
While they are opposed to Assad's government, the Americans have not been targeting the regime's soldiers and its allies in the civil war, including Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah militia.
Braga's men launched punishing airstrikes and artillery fire at the pro-regime fighters and Russian mercenaries. The Pentagon called the attack retaliation for their “unprovoked” incursion into territory controlled by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, a coalition of Kurds and Syrian rebels.
An actual military confrontation between the Russian military and the U.S.?
Naw...no big deal. (Let's move on please)
Sorry but unless you put Trump or Hillory in the title sometimes articles get no traction. It's happened to me too.
My guess on this incident is it is the result of poor leadership at a low level rather than policy from a higher level. Good thing no one died
Well, at least Trump has beensuscessful in getting Mexico to pay for the Wall!
This ''clash'' has been kept underwraps...
If the US is preparing for more attacks we could be seeing the start of some serious issues. The latest news out of England re Russia and the killings, plus the cyber attacks on US installations by the Russians seem to indicated that Russia is sending us a message...And it ain't ''let's have a drink''.
If they move on American positions, kill them.