US sends jets to protect forces from Syrian regime strikes 

 

LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has twice scrambled fighter aircraft to protect American special operations forces and allies after Syrian government warplane attacks near the northeastern Syrian city of Hassakeh, officials said Friday.

 

Navy Capt. Jeff Davis said the U.S. has increased combat air patrols in that area and has warned Syria that America will defend coalition troops. He also said he believes this is the first time the U.S. has scrambled aircraft in response to an incident like this involving Syrian government bombings.

 

Davis said a small number of U.S. commandos were in the area Thursday training and advising Syrian Democratic Forces. The Syrian government strikes, he said, "did not directly impact our forces. They were nearby — close enough that it gives us great pause."

 

The U.S. initially contacted the Russians, and Moscow denied responsibility for the bombings. The U.S. relayed the warning to Syria through Russia because they are allied with the Syrian government in that country's civil war.

 

Saying the U.S. will do what is needed to protect coalition forces, Davis added, "The Syrian regime would be well advised not to do things that would place them at risk."

 

The U.S. aircraft arrived as the two Syrian jets were leaving, Davis said, so the U.S. had no radio contact with them. Efforts by Kurdish forces on the ground to contact the Syrian jets were unsuccessful, he said.

 

On Friday, U.S. aircraft patrolling the area learned that Syrian jets were attempting to fly across the area and flew to meet them, a senior defense official said. The two U.S. F-22 fighter jets got within a mile of the Syrian SU-24 aircraft and the Syrian jets saw them, then turned and left the area, the official said.

 

The U.S. jets tried to contact the Syrian aircraft but there was no response, the official said. No weapons were fired but the presence of the coalition aircraft encouraged the Syrian aircraft to depart the airspace without incident, according to the official, who was not authorized the discuss the incident by name and spoke on condition of anonymity.

 

Syrian government forces have been bombing Kurdish-controlled portions of Hassakeh in recent days, and scores of residents have fled the city.

The additional U.S. combat air patrols will monitor the situation and provide assistance to coalition forces if needed, but are not enforcing any kind of no-fly zone, Davis said.

 

President Barack Obama has authorized the deployment of up to 300 U.S. special operations forces to Syria to work with the Syrian Democratic Forces. Small groups have routinely been moving in and out of the country to conduct the training and advising mission.

 

 

-- © Associated Press 2016-08-20

Stay in your own country for a change and don't try to rob everyone's resources. ISIS has a new name now: Syrian Democratic Forces

Edited August 20, 20169 yr by FritsSikkink

5 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Stay in your own country for a change and don't try to rob everyone's resources. ISIS has a new name now: Syrian Democratic Forces

Actually the Syrian Democratic Forces are mainly Kurdish and oppose ISIS.  Which doesn't mean that other forces the US supports in Syrian aren't Sunni extremists.

1 hour ago, FritsSikkink said:

Stay in your own country for a change and don't try to rob everyone's resources. ISIS has a new name now: Syrian Democratic Forces

 

Should that apply to the Russians as well?

4 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Stay in your own country for a change and don't try to rob everyone's resources. ISIS has a new name now: Syrian Democratic Forces

It'd be great if Russian and Iranian forces would leave.  Great point.

 

The problem in Syria isn't ISIS.  It's the civil war.  Until that gets resolved, nothing will change.

6 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

It'd be great if Russian and Iranian forces would leave.  Great point.

 

The problem in Syria isn't ISIS.  It's the civil war.  Until that gets resolved, nothing will change.

It also would be great if Qatar and others would stop supporting the Sunni extremists who are fighting there.

...protection by obliteration....

 

 

 

...do you think your neighbor would appreciate it if you invaded his house.....

"The U.S. aircraft arrived as the two Syrian jets were leaving, Davis said…."

 

Fortunate timing in this case….however, they are headed to the abyss slowly but surely...

 

Substitute the syrian jets with russian jets and it gets ugly real fast.

Edited August 20, 20169 yr by JHolmesJr

Syria and Russia should be very careful, Obama may be forced to draw a Red Line!

If ISIL is not the biggest problem in Syria, then you people are forgetting

that their goal is to kill every one who is not ISIL.  Try not to forget that!

  The other so called rebels who are fighting the Syrian forces, will not quit

fighting until Assad is gone or dead. The Kurdish, or other fighters who

are getting killed by Assad forces with his barrel bombs, and ground

troops, will likely keep fighting until I am old and in a wheel chair, or dead.

  As for Obama, he is on his last few months.    It is time for Hillary or

Donald to let the public know their stances in ISIL and their plans of how to rid the world of them,  if they become the next leader of the USA.

Geezer

Excellent point Geezer.  It's also Assad's goal to kill every rebel.  Even ones who are just against him and are not part of IS.  Assad needs to go.  He's proven he can't lead Syria.  Remove him, stop the civil war, then deal with IS on a united front.

 

Hard to comprehend the misery the Syrian people are going through.