Syria terrorists ‘operate near US forces,’ Russian military wants explanations

The Russian Defense Ministry says that some 300 Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) terrorists on pickup trucks have infiltrated through a US-controlled zone in Syria’s al-Tanf, demanding explanations from the US side. Ministry representative Igor Konashenkov said the militants tried to block a strategically important road linking Damascus and Deir ez-Zor, used for delivering humanitarian aid for civilians and supplies for the Syrian Army. According to the statement, on October 3, about 600 militants based in a refugee camp Rukban in the US-controlled zone, drove 300km to the southern de-escalation zone in Syria’s Daraa province and seized humanitarian aid intended for local people. The Russian ministry warned that the US will “bear all the responsibility for sabotaging the peace process in Syria.”