The Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria has reported another violation of Syrian airspace by the United States, marking the tenth incident in the past month. This recent violation involved the presence of F-35 fighter jets in the al-Tanf area of southern Syria, an area that is crucial for international airlines.
The deputy head of the Russian Reconciliation Center expressed concern about the dangerous situations caused by the international coalition, led by the United States, in the Syrian skies. In a press conference, he stated that eight instances of collision avoidance protocol violations were recorded the previous day, pertaining to drone flights that were not coordinated with the Russian side.
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Specifically, the violation in question consisted of six instances of Syrian airspace trespassing by two F-16 fighter jets, four F-35 fighter jets, and three MQ-1C drones in the al-Tanf area. This incident is especially significant as it marks the first time Moscow has detected American F-35 fighter jets involved in such violations.
The “de-collision” memorandum, signed in 2015 between Russia and America regarding Syrian airspace, has been violated on multiple occasions, as acknowledged in the ten statements made by the Russian Reconciliation Center in the last month.
In response to the escalating tensions, the Pentagon announced on July 18th its decision to dispatch additional F-35 and F-16 fighter jets, along with a battleship, to the Middle East.
The Russian Reconciliation Center has been meticulously documenting these violations, having confirmed a total of 1,761 such instances by “international coalition” aircraft in the specified areas, since January 2023.
Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the situation, stating that while Russia is prepared for any scenario, they do not seek a direct military confrontation with the United States. He emphasized that a special mechanism was established at the initiative of the American side to prevent conflicts, expressing a desire to avoid any further escalation.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
