Moscow Acknowledges Russian Citizens Died in U.S. Attack

Russia acknowledged for the first time on Thursday that five of its citizens may have been killed by a United States strike last week, the Associated Press reported.

The comments by foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova come after a number of private Russian military contractors were reported to have been killed on Feb. 7 during clashes between the U.S.-led coalition and pro-government forces in Deir Ezzor province.

The incident marked the first time the U.S. and Russia have faced each other in Syria – a scenario both states have actively sought to avoid. Prior to Thursday’s statement, both sides said that they had no information on Russian mercenaries being killed during the confrontation.

“According to preliminary information, five people, presumably Russian citizens, may have been killed in combat, the circumstances of which are being clarified,” Zakharova said in a briefing in Moscow. “Some others have been injured, and it’s still necessary to check whether they are citizens of Russia or other nations.”

While Moscow spoke of five casualties, a report published by Reuters on Thursday claimed that more than 300 men working for a private Russian military contractor were “either killed or injured” in last week’s coalition attack.

An unidentified Russian military doctor, who is directly involved in the treatment of wounded men evacuated from Syria, told Reuters that at least 100 Russian mercenaries had been killed and hundreds more wounded. If confirmed, the casualties would mark the highest Russia has suffered in a single confrontation since battles in Ukraine in 2014 killed more than 100 fighters, Reuters said.

Airstrikes Hit Last Functioning Hospital in Idlib’s Southeast

Airstrikes on the province of Idlib struck the last functioning hospital in the southeastern strip of the rebel enclave, Agence France-Presse reported on Thursday, citing the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The attack on the hospital in the village of Hass on Wednesday night is the seventh such strike on a medical facility in the province in two weeks.

The United Kingdom-based SOHR claimed that a Russian warplane was behind the attack. It was not immediately clear whether the hospital was put out of service.

The Syrian government, backed by Russian aircraft, has stepped up attacks on rebels in Idlib since at least Dec. 29. Airstrikes on southern Idlib on Thursday killed at least seven people including one rescue worker, the SOHR said.

Turkey Establishes New Observation Post in Idlib

The Turkish army on Thursday said it established its sixth observation post in northern Syria as part of a de-escalation zone agreement brokered by Russia, Turkey and Iran in May, Reuters reported.

The observation post was set up in the Surman region of southeast Idlib, the military said. Reuters called it the “deepest position Turkey’s armed forces have established so far inside northwest Syria.”

Turkey agreed to set up 12 observation posts in northern Syria under the de-escalation zone agreement, which aims to reduce fighting between rebels and the government in protected areas.

The deal has been undermined by increased government attacks on de-escalation zones in Idlib, Eastern Ghouta and northern Hama in recent months.

Separately, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Rex Tillerson on Thursday during the U.S. secretary of state’s two-day visit to Ankara. A U.S. State Department spokesman described the meeting as a “productive and open” discussion on enhancing ties between the two NATO allies, according to Reuters.

The meeting comes amid heightened tensions between the two states after Turkey recently threatened to expand its military operations against the Kurdish YPG militia in northern Syria to the town of Manbij, where U.S. troops are based alongside the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Reuters on Friday said Turkey had proposed to the U.S. that Kurdish militias withdraw from Manbij to positions east of the Euphrates River, allowing Turkish and U.S. troops to be stationed together in Manbij.

Recommended Reads

• The Associated Press: Russian Mother Grieves for Son Killed by U.S. Strike in Syria
• TIME: The War in Syria Has Entered a Dangerous New Phase
• The Atlantic: Putin Is Playing a Dangerous Game in Syria
• Deutsche Welle: Russian Deaths in Syria: Mystery Surrounds Aftermath of U.S. Attack
• Agence France-Presse: Desperate to Come Home, Syrians Brave I.S. Mines in Raqqa