News   /   Syria

Russia urges US to halt provoking Syrian army

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (R) speaks while posing for photos with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in the Treaty Room of the State Department in Washington, DC on May 10, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Russia has called on the US to avoid engaging in provocative measures towards Syrian government forces.

According to a statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday, the call was made during a phone conversation between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

"Lavrov called on Washington to take measures to prevent provocations against Syrian government troops conducting operations against terrorists," read the statement.

The call was made some eight days after US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet shot down a Syrian SU-22, which was conducting an operation against Daesh terrorists on the outskirts of the city of Raqqah.

On two other occasions in June and May, US warplanes attacked a Syrian military position near At-Tanf, killing an unspecified number of people and causing some material damage.

Read More:

A file photo of a Syrian Sukhoi Su-22 aircraft

"The foreign policy chiefs discussed the settlement of the crisis in Syria, including the need to consolidate the ceasefire, in particular through the Astana process, intensification of the fight against terrorist groups and blocking of attempts to use chemical agents," the Russian Foreign Ministry added.

Read More:

The Astana talks have brought representatives from the government in Damascus and opposition groups to the negotiating table. The first round of the Astana talks took place on January 23-24, followed by the second round on February 15-16 and the third round on March 14-15. A next round of peace negotiations on Syria is scheduled to take place in the Kazakh capital on July 4-5.


Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk

SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Press TV News Roku