Pentagon Says Notified Russia About Its Deir Ez-Zor Operation

US-led coalition informed the Russian side about its airstrikes in Deir ez-Zor area and heard no concerns in response, the Pentagon said Sunday in a statement.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The attacks by the coalition planes near the Deir ez-Zor airport were first reported by the Syrian army earlier on Saturday. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the attacks saying they killed 62 servicemen and injured 100 more.

“The coalition air operations center earlier in the day notified Russian officials that coalition aircraft would be operating in that area, and no concerns were voiced at that time,” the statement said.

The statement added that the coalition remains focused on “delivering ISIL (Islamic State, or Daesh in Arabic, outlawed in Russia) a lasting defeat.”