WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The United States is aware of reports claiming that the Russian Air Force has been striking civilian oil tankers in Syria, but cannot confirm the allegation, Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Col. Steve Warren told reporters on Wednesday.
"I’ve seen those reports," Warren stated in a briefing. "We are not prepared yet to confirm it."
The spokesman said the Russian Defense Ministry released a video of a strike on oil tankers about a month ago, but added he has not tracked any additional strikes since.
The Islamic State, also known as Daesh, is a designated terrorist group outlawed in the United States, Russia and in many other countries.
The Islamic State controls large swaths of land in Syria, Iraq and Libya, and has earned hundreds of millions of dollars annually by selling smuggled crude oil on the black market.
In December, the Russian General Staff said that Russian combat aircraft had destroyed more than 1,200 terrorist tanker trucks carrying oil and oil products. Russia began an aerial campaign against the Islamic State in September 2015 on the request of the Syrian government.
