Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is warning against dangerous flights by Russian fighter jets over what is considered a safe zone in Syria, questioning whether recent close calls were mistakes or deliberate.
Mattis told Pentagon reporters Friday that the U.S. and Russia are still using a phone line to coordinate flight movements over crowded Syrian skies as the U.S.-led coalition goes after remaining Islamic State group militants.
Two Russian Su-25 fighters flew through an unofficial line separating Russian and American air forces in eastern Syria on Wednesday coming dangerously close to U.S. aircraft.
U.S. Air Force F-22 fighter jets launched warning flares in response.
Mattis says he doesn't expect perfection in flights but also doesn't want dangerous maneuvers. He says it's not clear if it was deliberate or just sloppy flying.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
