The top U.S. general running the air war against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria says Russian-declared no-fly zones are not restricting where the U.S.-led coalition can fly its warplanes as it targets the terror group.
“We don’t recognize any specific zone in itself that we preclude ourselves from operating in,” said Air Force Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian, commander of U.S. Air Forces Central Command. “Wherever the enemy’s at, wherever they present themselves, we’re going to get after them.”
Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon via a video hookup from his headquarters at the Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Harrigian said the U.S. stays in close communication with the Russians to ensure they know where the coalition airplanes are bombing, but doesn’t coordinate or seek permission in carrying out air attacks.
This month, Russia, Turkey and Iran signed a memorandum establishing four separate de-escalation zones in Syria as a move toward an eventual end of hostilities, and Russia declared the airspace over the areas off limits to U.S. and coalition aircraft.
“We do not have specific zones that we are de-conflicting with them,” Harrigian said. “When we’ve talked to the Russians, we do not talk about those de-escalation zones. We just talk de-confliction in our operations.”
Harrigian said he was aware of reports suggesting that Russia may be repositioning antiaircraft missiles to protect the zones, and said it was something he was keeping a close eye on.
And he said as U.S.-backed Syrian fighters have been closing in on the Islamic State in their self-declared capital in Raqqa, the level of consultation with Russia has increased.
“We have had to increase the amount of de-confliction work we’re doing with the Russians given the tighter airspace that we’re now working ourselves through,” Harrigian said.
“While we don’t give them specifics, we make sure we note where we’re going to operate so that we can portray that to them in a manner that allows us to continue our attack on the enemy, and gives us the freedom of movement we need to ensure that where the enemy presents itself, we’re able to get after them.”
The U.S. says the de-escalation zones are different from the de-confliction zones the U.S. declared to protect U.S. troops and the partner forces they are training on the ground in Syria.
Last week, a convoy of Iranian-backed pro-Assad militia encroached on such a zone in southern Syria, and was attacked by U.S. warplanes after repeated warnings to leave the area.
“This strike should make it clear to all that coalition air power will be used when our ground forces are threatened,” Harrigian said.
