US State Dept. on Strike on Syrian Troops: 'We Do Not See This as an Escalation'

The United States Department of State said Washington does not see the airstrikes by the Coalition forces against pro-Syrian troops as an attempt to escalate the situation in the region.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The United States does not consider strikes against pro-Syrian government forces near At Tanf an escalation of tensions, US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a briefing on Thursday.

"We do not see this as an escalation," Nauert told reporters when asked about the strikes.

Earlier on Thursday, the US-led coalition fighting Daesh terror group (banned in Russia) conducted the third strike against pro-Syrian government forces within a deconfliction zone near At Tanf. The coalition also destroyed a pro-Syrian government drone, similar in size to a US MQ-1 Predator, which dropped munitions on a coalition patrol.