Fighter, attack, and drone aircraft belonging to the U.S.-led international coalition violated Syrian airspace today, Sunday.
Vadim Kulit, the Deputy Head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation in Syria, stated, “The so-called international coalition for counterterrorism led by the United States of America has created dangerous situations in Syrian skies, flying in violation of non-collision protocols and breaching Syrian airspace.”
Kulit added that nine violations of Syrian airspace by international coalition aircraft were recorded in the Al-Tanf region in a single day.
Two pairs of the coalition’s F-15 fighter jets, two pairs of A-10 Thunderbolt attack bombers, a pair of F/A-18 Hornet deck-based fighters, as well as a Q-9 reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle violated Syria’s airspace in the al-Tanf area, he mentioned.
Earlier in December, Kulit noted that 43 violations of the deconfliction protocols of December 9, 2019 linked with the flights by the coalition drones were reported in Syria.
There have been many incidents in which aircraft from either party have come dangerously close to the other or violated airspace controlled by the other side, increasing the risk of unintended confrontations. These violations have predominantly occurred in the Al-Tanf region of Syria. Russia has accused the U.S.-led coalition of creating dangerous situations by violating Syrian airspace multiple times, with specific incidents involving aircraft such as F-15, Dassault Rafale fighters, and reconnaissance aircraft. These incidents are seen as problematic, especially amid the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, including the Israel-Hamas war. Russia, the U.S., and Israel have established “deconfliction mechanisms” in Syria, which involve avoiding interference with each other’s interests despite being on opposite sides of the Syrian civil war. These airspace violations highlight the complex dynamics and ongoing conflicts in the region
