US, Russian Military Unlikely to Operate in Syria Side by Side - Army Chief

The United States and Russia will most likely not be conducting military operations together in Syria, despite reaching recently a ceasefire agreement, US Army Chief of Staff General Mark Milley told reporters on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — He explained that the ceasefire, negotiated earlier this week by Russia and the United States, is a "critical task to first end the civil war in Syria in order to bring some stability to the region."

"I would not have high hopes US military and Russian military operating side by side in Syria. I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one," Milley said.

On Monday, Russia and the United States announced they had agreed to implement a cessation of hostilities in Syria, in order to assure humanitarian aid to besieged areas, and to better delineate terrorist-held territory in the country.

The ceasefire is scheduled to go into effect on February 27, and has received the support of 17-member International Syrian Support Group.

Both Russia and the United States have been launching airstrikes against terrorists in Syria, but they have so far limited their cooperation to formal deconfliction talks.