Russia Warns US against ‘Direct’ Attack on Syria
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Russia Warned on Saturday that any “direct” aggression by the US against the Syrian government would lead to “frightening” shifts in the Middle East.
"Direct agression" by the United States towards the Syrian government and armed forces would lead to "frightening, tectonic shifts" in the Middle East, RIA news agency cited Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying Saturday.
Russia has been supporting the Syrian government in its push to take back Aleppo from Takfiri terrorists.
The US is backing what it calls "moderate" militants fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad besides carrying out airstrikes against what it calls Daesh targets.
However, with Syrian advances on Aleppo gaining momentum, US officials have hinted at direct attacks on Syrian troops.
US aircraft recently bombed Syrian army positions in Deir ez-Zor, killing 83 soldiers. The airstrike, which helped Daesh briefly overrun government positions in the area, was characterized by Washington as unintentional but Syria rejected the allegation.
"How could they (Daesh) know that the Americans are going to attack that position in order to gather their militants to attack right away and to capture it one hour after the strike?" Assad asked during an interview with the Associated Press.
Last week, the Middle East Eye news portal cited a source close to militants as saying that the US was resolved to prevent the fall of Aleppo.
The US State Department has warned it was considering the suspension of "bilateral engagement" in Syria unless Russia took "immediate steps to end the assault on Aleppo."
A US-Russian brokered ceasefire recently fell apart after the American airstrike on Syrian troops.
