BEIRUT – The US-led coalition admitted it may have hit a Syrian army position Saturday as Russia called an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss the air strikes it said killed at least 62 soldiers.
The strikes came with diplomatic tensions escalating between Moscow and Washington less than a week into a fragile ceasefire aimed at stopping the bloodshed in Syria’s five-year civil war.
American officials said the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group may have hit Syrian military positions.
“Coalition forces believed they were striking a Daesh fighting position,” a Pentagon statement said, using an Arabic acronym for the IS group.
“The coalition air strike was halted immediately when coalition officials were informed by Russian officials that it was possible the personnel and vehicles targeted were part of the Syrian military.” (AFP)