Russian aircraft actions anger US Air Force in Syria altercation

Washington says Moscow must end 'reckless behaviour' after Russian jets harrassed anti-ISIS drones

Parachute flares released by a Russian SU-35 near a US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone over Syria on Wednesday. AP

The US Air Force has criticised Moscow for the actions of Russian aircraft near American drones carrying out a counter-terrorist operation in Syria on Wednesday.

"Russian military aircraft engaged in unsafe and unprofessional behaviour while interacting with US aircraft in Syria," on Wednesday morning, the US Air Force said.

They released video footage of the incident early on Thursday.

Russian fighter jets began harassing three US MQ-9 drones engaged in a mission to strike ISIS targets, it said, forcing the drones to take "evasive measures" and threatening the operator's ability to safely manoeuvre the drone.

The incident comes weeks after a US commander criticised Russia for "air buffoonery" impeding Washington's work as part of the anti-ISIS coalition in north-east Syria.

Russian pilots have become more aggressive around US troops and have frequently entered airspace that has long been recognised as belonging to the coalition, a commander said in June.

Washington has since sent sophisticated jets to the region to try to deter further altercations with Russia.

The US has stayed in Iraq and north-east Syria to aid local forces in an enduring conflict with ISIS, which was forced out of its last Syrian bastion, Baghouz, in 2019.

It published video of the altercation early on Thursday, showing the fighter jets closing in on drones and using parachute flares in their flight path "against established norms and protocols".

The behaviour "represents a new level of unprofessional and unsafe action by Russian forces operating in Syria", the US said.

The US has about 900 troops stationed at bases and posts in north-east Syria as part of the international coalition.

Its members have come under attack in the area, including from Iran-backed groups who oppose the presence of western troops in Iraq and Syria.

The US struck Iran-linked groups in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor in March after a drone attack killed a contractor and wounded six others at a coalition base in Hasaka.