The Pentagon
warned the Syrian government against carrying out airstrikes near U.S. and
allied personnel Friday, one day after attacks caused the U.S. to scramble jets
to
protect special operations forces.
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.
"We view
instances that place coalition personnel at risk with the utmost seriousness,
and we do have the inherent right of self-defense," Davis said.
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 the
northeastern city 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.
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