Mattis commented on the incident in Syria

Photo: EPA

The US and Russia routinely use lines of communication to prevent various incidents between American and Russian military in Syria. This was at the briefing on 11 February said the U.S. Secretary of defense James Mattis, commenting on the incident in which, according to media reports, killed Russian mercenaries, the press service of the Pentagon.

“The Russians told us that they weren’t there originally. I think it is, but we do not have full clarity about what you’re doing there regime forces. But at least now there is peace,” – said the head of the Pentagon.

According to Mattis when they contacted the military of the Russian Federation, about forces that have crossed the boundary line and close to U.S. positions, the Russians said they know nothing about it.

“They were notified, when the shelling started. Then we were told that there were no Russians. And, as you know, we work hard in order not to jeopardize Russian citizens”, – said the Minister.

8 February 2018, Reuters reported that coalition air strike in Syria that killed about 100 soldiers of the army of the allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

CBS sources in the Pentagon reported that Syria were killed by “Russian mercenaries”. Research group Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT) believes that it is the PMCs soldiers “Wagner”, which operates in the mineral deposits in the Euphrates river valley.

The former “defense Minister” of the terrorist organization “DNR” Igor Girkin (Shooters) stated that reports of casualties in Syria are continuously changing in the direction of increase.

“At the moment it is clear that the dead and wounded – real hundreds. Several hundred. The rest of the discordance. But the latest figures (“not final”, as reported) looks “beyond”. Allegedly for a whopping 600 (644, to be precise – and this is only the dead)”, – he stressed.