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Conflict in Syria

Australia confirms its involvement in airstrike near Deir ez-Zor — SANA

Australian aircraft were among a number of international aircraft taking part in this Coalition operation, country's defense department said

© Valeriy Sharifulin/TASS

ABU DHABI, September 18. /TASS/. Australia has confirmed its aircraft participated in the strike near Syria’s Deir ez-Zor, where dozens Syrian servicemen were killed, SANA reported on Sunday quoting statement of the Australian Defense Department.

"Australian aircraft were among a number of international aircraft taking part in this Coalition operation," the statement reads.

CONFLICT IN SYRIA

"Australia would never intentionally target a known Syrian military unit or actively support Daesh (IS). Defence offers its condolences to the families of any Syrian personnel killed or wounded in this incident."

On September 17, aircraft of the U.S. anti-IS coalition delivered an airstrike on the Syrian military near Deir ez-Zor, where 60 were killed and about 100 got injured.

On Saturday, Russian Defense Ministry’s spokesman Maj Gen Igor Konashenkov said: "Today between 17.00 and 17.50 Moscow Standard Time (14.00-14.50 GMT) aircraft of the anti-IS coalition (two F-16 fighter jets and two A10s) delivered four air strikes near the airport of the city of Deir ez-Zor (Syria) on units of the Syrian governmental forces besieged by the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, outlawed in Russia)," he said. "The coalition warplanes entered the airspace of the Syrian Arab Republic from Iraq."

The Syrian command in Deir ez-Zor said that 62 Syrian servicemen died in the air attack and about 100 more were wounded.

"Immediately after the anti-IS coalition’s air strike the IS militants launched an offensive," the defense ministry’s spokesman said.

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