Russia Carries Out Airstrikes On U.S. Base Near Syria's Border With Jordan

By Donald Standeford, Correspondent - Follow -
Date Published: June 19, 2022 06:30PM UTC
Last Modified: June 19, 2022 06:30PM UTC

SYRIA - Russia carried out airstrikes at the al-Tanf garrison U.S. military base on Wednesday after first notifying the United States of their intentions. The base is located near Syria's border with Jordan in southeast Syria.

Russia had notified the United States that they were conducting airstrikes in the area in response to an attack that had Russia says occurred against Syrian government forces. Russia had used an old communications line set up years ago to notify the United States of their intentions, according to MEHR News Agency.

The U.S. military used the notification to warn the local coalition fighters away from the area, as well as make sure that no U.S. forces were nearby. Not long after they notified the United States of their intentions, Russian jets which included two Su-35s and one Su-24 were spotted flying over al-Tanf before they struck a combat outpost at the garrison, according to a U.S. Military official.

The Al-Tanf garrison, located in southeastern Syria has been a place where both U.S. and Syrian opposition forces have operated for some time. The Russian strikes were carried out against locations where US-backed Maghawir al-Thawra fighters were located.

U.S. officials said that Russia claimed the Maghawir al-Thawra group had carried out a roadside bomb attack on Russian forces, though the United States does not believe this, and instead believes Russia was just looking for a reason to carry out the airstrikes in the location.