Coalition jets are now fair game, says Russia after plane shot down

RUSSIA warned yesterday that it would treat British and American jets operating in parts of Syria where its air forces are present as “targets”, after US forces shot down a Syrian warplane for the first time in the six-year war.

Moscow, Syria’s main ally, announced that it would start tracking jets and drones of the Us-led coalition and halt an incident-prevention hotline with America, which was set up to avoid accidents in the crowded skies above Syria.

“Any flying objects, including planes and drones of the international coalition, discovered west of the Euphrates river will be tracked as aerial targets by Russia’s air defences on and above ground,” the defence ministry said.

The Syrian SU-22 fighter bomber was shot down by an American F18 Super Hornet on Sunday after it had dropped bombs near the Us-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) north of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil)-held city of Raqqa.

The US, which has special forces troops in the area, said it sent a warning to the Syrian military to stop targeting the forces and called on Russia to rein in its ally. Russia denied that it was informed of the planned strike.

Moscow condemned the US action, saying it flouted international law. “It is help to those terrorists that the US is fighting against, declaring they are carrying out an anti-terrorism policy,” Sergei Ryabkov, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, said, adding that it was a “dangerous escalation”.

Washington hit back, saying it would, “do what we can to protect our interests”. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said: “The escalation of hostilities among the many factions that are operating in this region doesn’t help anybody. And the Syrian regime and others in the regime need to understand that we will retain the right of self-defence, of coalition forces aligned against Isil.”

The SDF, meanwhile, warned that it would retaliate against further regime attacks on its troops – a combination of Kurds and Arabs which are leading the fight for Isil’s self-styled capital Raqqa.

The Us-led coalition has in recent weeks escalated its aerial bombing campaign in northern Syria and Raqqa province. On several occasions, its jets have also struck pro-government forces to prevent advances on a Us-controlled garrison in south-eastern Syria. The US military said yesterday that it was repositioning its aircraft to ensure the safety of American air crews.

Theresa May downplayed any risk to RAF pilots. She said: “There are deconfliction arrangements in place already in relation to activity that takes place over the skies of Syria,” she said.