Washington: The United States and Russia sparred on Friday over whether they will maintain a hotline aimed at preventing midair collisions of their warplanes in Syria, with senior US military officials contradicting Moscow's claims that it has suspended the "deconfliction" talks in protest of America's cruise missile strikes on a Syrian air base.
The officials also said they're looking into whether Russia participated in the chemical weapons attack in Syria earlier this week that prompted President Donald Trump's order for a retaliation.
They said Russia has failed to control the Syrian government's use of chemical weapons or to account for chemical agents that were supposed to have been eliminated under a 2013 agreement and may have been complicit in Tuesday's horrifying strike that involved the use of a sarin-like nerve gas.
But the senior U.S. military officials, who weren't authorized to speak publicly on the matter and demanded anonymity, said U.S.-Russian discussions have continued since Thursday night's attack on the Syrian military base. They said American officials asked the Russians on Friday if the military talks would continue. The Russians said they would.
Pressed on whether the Russians were actively participating in the safety calls, including one on Friday, one US official said conversations were ongoing.Also Read: Assad Office Says US Strike 'Foolish, Irresponsible'
The officials' comments, however, triggered a response from Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov. He said reports that the hotline was active were wrong, and that the U.S. military attache in Moscow was called to the ministry to be told that the communications would stop at midnight Saturday.
They said a drone belonging either to Russia or Syria was seen hovering over the site of the chemical weapons attack Tuesday after it happened.
The drone returned late in the day as citizens were going to a nearby hospital for treatment. The hospital was bombed shortly afterward, officials said, possibly in an effort to cover up evidence of chemical weapons usage.
The US says a sarin-like nerve agent was used. Syria denies the claim. And the Kremlin says Syria's government wasn't responsible.
The US officials also said they're aware of Russians with chemical weapons expertise who have been in Syria.Also Read: Here's What Led to Trump's Decision to Attack Assad's Airbase
Detailing the results of the US missile strikes, the US officials showed graphics and photographs of the strikes and said 20 aircraft were destroyed, including some that were inside hardened shelters.
Also, the strikes took out the air defense system, all the aircraft hangers and the petroleum storage. So far, they said, they do not have any confirmation of any military or civilian deaths.
Officials said Russian officials called the US earlier on Thursday after seeing media reports that missile strikes were under discussion, to make sure the Americans knew there were Russians on the Syrian base. The US called the Russians less than an hour before the missiles were launched to alert them of the attack so they could insure their people were safe.
In a related development, US officials said that a Russian warship, the frigate Admiral Grigorovich, had moved into the eastern Mediterranean Sea on Thursday.
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