US-led coalition jet came ‘dangerously’ close to Russian aircraft over Syria

A fighter-bomber jet of the US-led coalition in Syria came “dangerously” close to a Russian surveillance aircraft over Homs province on Sunday, Russia’s TASS state news agency reported, citing a Russian military official in the Middle Eastern country.

The US has 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in neighboring Iraq on a mission to advise and assist local forces trying to prevent a resurgence of ISIS, which in 2014 seized large swaths of both countries but was later pushed back

“A coalition F/A-18 fighter-bomber came into dangerous contact with an An-30 aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces, which was carrying out a scheduled flight in Syrian airspace,” TASS quoted Captain Oleg Ignasyuk, deputy head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria, as saying.

“The Russian crew, demonstrating high professionalism, promptly took the necessary measures to prevent a collision.”

The incident took place over the al-Tanf region of Homs, TASS said.

Reuters was not able to independently verify the report.

The US Department of Defence has not immediately responded to Reuters’ request for comment.