A top US commander has warned Russia that the United States ‘will defend itself if threatened’ after warplanes attacked near American forces operating in Syria.

Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, based in Baghdad, vowed to defend US special operations forces in northern Syria if they come under another attack.

‘We’ve informed the Russians where we’re at,’ he told CNN. ‘(They) tell us they’ve informed the Syrians, and I’d just say that we will defend ourselves if we feel threatened.’

The warning follows what defense officials described as an ‘unusual’ incident Thursday when President Bashar al-Assad’s regime deployed warplanes to attack an area near where US special operations forces were operating.

US forces are currently in the area to support Kurdish forces in the fight against terrorist group ISIS.

• Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend vowed to defend US special operations forces in northern Syria if they come under another attack
• He told Russia ‘That we will defend ourselves if we feel threatened’
• Twice the U.S. has scrambled jets when Syrian aircraft got too close 
• Navy Capt. Jeff Davis said these are the first instances of the U.S. sending out fighter jets after Syrian government bombings
• On Thursday, a small group of commandos were training in the area
• The nearby strike of Syrian forces did not directly impact the U.S. forces 
• Syrian jets also attempted to fly across area where U.S. soldiers were 
• U.S. jets flew out to meet them but Syrian jets flew off once spotted 
• There are approximately 300 U.S. special operatives in Syria

Read More: The Daily Mail

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