Russian, US jets play chicken over Syria

TWO Russian Su-25 groundattack aircraft escorted by a Su35 fighter crossed the Euphrates River demarcation line in Syria yesterday, sparking what US military officials say was a serious incident.

It’s just the latest in a series of tense stand-offs, backed by a growing war of words between Washington and Moscow, arising as Islamic State loses its last strongholds and Syria’s attention turns towards USbacked anti-government rebels.

Under a longstanding agreement to avoid potential clashes, coalition air force activity is limited to the east of the Euphrates — and Russian forces to its west.

But yesterday Russian warplanes reportedly crossed the river and ignored repeated warnings that they were operating outside their boundaries.

It follows Russian claims of a similar incident last week — which US officials declared never happened, saying it was a propaganda response to an article in The New York Times critical of Russia’s aggressive air activities in Syria.

The Russian ground-attack aircraft “flew into co-ordinated coalition airspace on the east side of the Euphrates River and were promptly intercepted,” Air Forces Central Command spokesman Lt Colonel Damien Pickart said.

US military officials say two F-22 Raptor stealth fighters were tasked to intercept and turn back the Russian force.

“The incident lasted approximately 40 minutes before the Russian aircraft flew to the west side of the river,” Colonel Pickart said.

Russia has been increasingly ignoring the operational demarcation line, he said, crossing the Euphrates River between six and eight times each day.

But Moscow government news agency TASS quoted a Russian Defence Ministry source as saying the incident took place on the west of the Euphrates.

Russia’s aggressive stance is a matter of increasing concern to coalition forces operating in Syria.

“It’s become increasingly tough for our pilots to discern whether Russian pilots are deliberately testing or baiting us into reacting, or if these are just honest mistakes,” Colonel Pickart said.

“The coalition’s greatest concern is that we could shoot down a Russian aircraft because its actions are seen as a threat to our air or ground forces,” Colonel Pickart said. A RUNAWAY pet emu stunned locals when it tore down snowy streets and into a graveyard in a village in southern England. Its escape was brief but fitting — the bird is named Farage, after a politician who led the UK Independence Party. The Aussie bird — a pet well known locally but a rare sight outside zoos in Britain — belongs to an elderly woman in the village. Three men cornered it, one managed to get a headlock around its neck and Farage was taken home.