Defense Secretary Jim Mattis speaks during the daily news briefing at the White House, in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has claimed that the US is not engaged in “the Syrina Civil War” and the recent US strikes on the Syrian Arab Army in the province of Deir Ezzor do not mean that the US is getting into it.
“It was self-defense. Obviously, we are not getting engaged in the Syrian civil war,” Mattis said.”I believe that they [government forces] are, right now, west of the [Euhprates] river.”
Earlier the US-led coalition claimed that pro-government forces had attacked a headquarters of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces where the coalition’s military advisers were also deployed. Responding to the alleged attack, the coalition carried out a series of strikes at SAA positions.
Later, the mainstream media started releasing reports that over 300 government troops particiapted in the attack and over 100 of them were killed. MORE DETAILS
