WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The officials noted that military operations against the outlawed Daesh terror group have created a "crowded battlespace" around Manbij and Al Bab in northern Syria.
"Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford, Gen. Valery Gerasimov of the Russian army and Gen. Hulusi Akar of the Turkish army are looking to enhance senior-level communications and operational deconfliction of military operations in Syria," Defense Department officials said.
US, Turkish, Russian officials pose for portrait during discussions on deconflicting ops in Syria. @thejointstaff pic.twitter.com/6YYGvKWiSA
— James A. Garamone (@GaramoneDODNews) 7 марта 2017 г.
US-led coalition forces, including the Kurdish People's' Protection Units (YPG), Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Syrian Arab Coalition (SAC) are operating in close proximity in the area, as are Turkish and Turkish proxy Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters with Syrian army troops.
Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry said the three defense chiefs would discuss security issues in Iraq and Syria.
Gen. Dunford @thejointstaff meets w/Turkish, Russian military leaders to discuss deconflicting ops in Syria at Antalya, Turkey today. pic.twitter.com/Z3jX6ymFOh
— The Joint Staff (@thejointstaff) 7 марта 2017 г.
On Monday, Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters that the United States had deployed a small number of additional troops to Manbij on a mission of reassurance and deterrence.
The Pentagon noted that the meeting marked the second time Dunford met with his Russian counterpart. The two defense chiefs previously met in Azerbaijan on February 16.
