Russian Warplanes in Syria Avoid Attacking Pro-Cessation of Hostilities Groups

MOSCOW-The Russian warplanes participating in the war on takfiri terrorism in Syria avoid targeting positions of the armed groups which joined the cessation of hostilities agreement, spokesman of the Russian Defense Ministry Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said on Sunday.

 He added the warplanes bombed targets in Syria that were far away from the areas where U-backed armed groups are active.

 Earlier this week, US media cited an anonymous official who claimed planes of the Russian Aerospace Forces had hit the positions of US-backed Syrian “opposition” forces. Russian and US defense officials held a rare video conference overnight to address the issue, Sputnik reported.

“The target that was bombed [by the Aerospace Forces] was situated more than 300 kilometers [186 miles] away from the territories that were declared by the US as positions of opposition forces participating in the cessation of hostilities agreement,” Konashenkov clarified.

He stressed that the Russian Aerospace Forces had informed the so-called US-led anti-ISIS coalition beforehand of the planned air raid, in line with arrangements of the US-Russia memorandum. The ministerial spokesman accused Washington of repeatedly refusing to provide Moscow with exact coordinates of the armed groups’ positions.

H.M