Syrian forces dodge U.S. troops, reach Iraqi border

BEIRUT — Russia’s Ministry of Defense reported on Friday that pro-government forces circled around U.S. military advisers in eastern Syria to reach the Iraqi border, dealing what could be a major blow to the declared U.S. mission to defeat Islamic State militants in the region.

The development would mean Russian-backed pro-government forces have blocked the path of U.s.backed opposition forces advancing north along the Iraqi-syrian border, in the direction of the IS strongholds of Boukamal and Deir el-zour.

The two forces have clashed regularly in the area, with U.S. aircraft twice striking Russian-backed forces. The strikes are believed to have killed dozens of Syrian soldiers and Iranian-backed militia forces. On Thursday, the U.S. shot down an armed drone it said had attacked its units embedded with opposition forces.

By circling around them, the Russian-backed forces have apparently avoided a direct confrontation with U.s.-backed forces based out of al-tanf, the border post under U.S. and opposition control.

They are advancing in the direction of Boukamal, according to Col. Gen, Sergei Surovikin, the commander of Russian forces in Syria.

On their side of the border, Iraqi forces, along with Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Committee militias, are advancing through Is-held territory to meet the Russian-backed forces at the frontier, according to a Lebanese TV station close to the Syrian government.

The United States Central Command said it “does not seek to fight the Syrian regime, Russian or pro-regime forces partnered with them,” but promised to take “appropriate measures” to protect U.S. forces tasked with defeating IS.

“As long as pro-regime forces are oriented toward Coalition and partnered forces the potential for conflict is escalated,” CENTCOM said in a statement to The Associated Press.

“Coalition forces are oriented on ISIS in the Euphrates River Valley,” the statement added, using a different acronym for the Islamic State group.

The U.N. children’s agency warned Friday that the fight for IS’S stronghold of Raqqa threatens more than 40,000 children, while overnight airstrikes on the city in northern Syria killed more than a dozen people.

The violence has displaced residents in and around the city, with about 80,000 children living in temporary shelters and camps, UNICEF said in a statement.