U.S., Russia Resume Military Relations to ‘Deconflict’ in Syria

348291-245c9d42-b6cc-11e3-9942-d7dbb3111cd3The U.S. and Russia are ending an 18-month freeze in military-to-military relations and initiating talks about how to pursue “deconfliction” of the American and Russian forces that are now both involved in the Syrian civil war, a Pentagon official said Friday.

The moves comes as Russia builds a large military base in Syria with troops and aircraft, apparently with the aim to provide direct support to the embattled regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, which the U.S. opposes.

A top U.S. commander said Wednesday that the Russian activity could put U.S. pilots at risk and vastly complicate the current American-led air campaign to defeat the Islamic State militants who control large swaths of both Iraq and Syria.

The Pentagon expects to begin a “military-to-military conversation about what is happening on the ground … to avoid any possible miscalculation or misunderstanding,” said one senior defense official on Friday.

The U.S. suspended military-to-military relations with Russia in March 2014 shortly after Moscow invaded and annexed the Crimea region of Ukraine. (Read more from “U.S., Russia Resume Military Relations to ‘Deconflict’ in Syria” HERE)

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