US Central Command Dismisses Claims of Belgian Airstrike on Northern Aleppo

The US-led coalition against the Islamic State has seen no evidence of alleged airstrikes by Belgian F-16 fighter jets in northern Aleppo, US Central Command (CENTCOM) spokesperson told Sputnik on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — On Tuesday, the Russian military said that Belgian Air Force F-16s were suspected of killing at least six in an airstrike on the northern Syrian village of Hassajek.

"Contrary to what Russian media reported, there is no evidence of this incident, nor were any Belgian aircraft conducting kinetic operations at the time," the spokesperson said. "Our Coalition aircrews go through a rigorous targeting process to ensure any airstrike is precise and mitigates risk to civilians."

Belgian Defense Minister Steven Vandeput dismissed the allegations.

On Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry called on the US-led counterterrorist coalition to condemn the deadly airstrike.

The US-led coalition of more than 60 nations has been conducting airstrikes against the Islamic State, which is outlawed in many countries, such as Russia and the United States, in Syria and Iraq since 2014.