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There were no shots fired, but seven American soldiers were wounded when they were hit by a column of Russian vehicles. The August 25 clash was the latest in a series of clashes between military contingents in Washington and Moscow in northeastern Syria. In response, the United States has sent nearly 100 soldiers, armored vehicles, radar systems, and fighters to the region.
“These actions are a clear demonstration of the determination of the United States,” says Captain Bill Urban, spokesman for the American Central Command, in response to questions from the newspaper. The New York Times. The goal, he adds, “is to ensure that they can defeat ISIS’s mission. [sigla em inglês para o Daesh] without interference ”.
“The United States does not seek conflict with any nation in Syria, but it will not stop defending the coalition forces if necessary,” Urban himself says, quoted by the Associated Press. According to a senior military official heard by the news agency anonymously, the reinforcements aim to warn Russia to avoid provocative and dangerous further actions against the United States and its allies in the area.
Incidents between the US military and Russia, which is in Syria in support of dictator Bashar al-Assad, have multiplied this year, with the US military leadership accusing the Russians of provoking these meetings, violating the agreement reached in December of 2019 for forces on the ground to divert from each other. According to the Pentagon, the latter took place during a routine American patrol in an area where Russian troops were not supposed to be present.
Videos of the incident show what is perceived as a Russian vehicle striking an American, while two Russian helicopters hover over American forces at low altitude. Contradictory versions followed, with the Pentagon and Central Command condemning Moscow’s action, while Russia accused US troops of trying to block a Russian patrol, “in violation of existing agreements.”
The United States withdrew from much of eastern Syria a year ago, before the start of Turkey’s offensive against Kurdish militias that for years secured the front line of the US coalition’s fight against Daesh. With the withdrawal then ordered by Donald Trump, 500 American soldiers remained on the ground.
Conversely, Bradley battle tanks have now followed, Sentinel radars to follow Russian helicopters, as well as more combat patrols and helicopters to support forces on the ground.
Congressional Democrats and Republicans criticized the White House response as inadequate. Democrats saw another example of Trump’s refusal to question Russia in the episode: Nov. 3 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden highlighted the head of state’s silence. Did you hear the president say a single word? Lift a finger even”He asked in a campaign speech.
The announcement of the shipment of these reinforcements coincided with Trump’s statements that US troops are only in Syria to protect the oil, said the New York Times. At a press conference at the White House, the president said that US troops “are out of Syria,” except for the oil fields. “Also, we are out of Syria,” he said, without mentioning what the Pentagon considers the main US mission in the country, collaboration with Kurdish allies in the fight against Daesh.
