ALBAWABA - U.S. officials said on Monday that a Russian fighter jet reportedly flew close to a U.S. warplane, endangering the lives of 4 American crew members. This incident is deemed a significant escalation in what has been a series of encounters between U.S. and Russian aircraft in Syria in recent weeks.
The intercept by the Russian Su-35 impeded the U.S. crew’s ability to safely operate their MC-12 aircraft, the officials said, calling it a new level of unsafe behavior that could result in an accident or loss of life, Politico reported.
U.S. officials, who spoke of the incident, did not specifically disclose how close the Russian fighter jet flew to the U.S. aircraft. It is known that the U.S. warplane is routinely used for surveillance operations by special forces, especially in support against ISIS-controlled areas around Syria.
Over the past two weeks, and on multiple occasions, Russian fighter jets have harassed U.S. Reapers raising alarms as it is believed to directly endanger the lives of American pilots, and forcing them to take evasive maneuvers.
According to U.S. officials, Russia's "aggression" over Syrian skies hampered efforts to take down ISIS leaders across Syria. However, recently the US was able to launch a strike and kill a high-ranked ISIS leader.
With almost 900 soldiers in Syria, the U.S. announced that it will continue to fly in the western part of the country in operations tageting anti-Islamic State missions.
