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US warned Russian military about airstrike on Syria several minutes in advance — Lavrov

Earlier on Friday, the US carried out airstrikes near the Syrian-Iraqi border

MOSCOW, February 26. /TASS/. Washington warned the Russian military about the airstrike it was preparing to carry out on Syria four or five minutes in advance, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters Friday.

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"Our military were warned four or five minutes before [the airstrike]," the minister noted. "Of course, such warnings are of little use when the strike is basically carried out at that moment."

Earlier on Friday, the US carried out airstrikes near the Syrian-Iraqi border. The Pentagon earlier said that the airstrikes were conducted in response to the recent attacks in Iraq targeting personnel of the US and the coalition who were carrying out a joint operation against the Islamic State. The airstrikes were aimed at facilities of "Iranian-backed militant groups including Kait'ib Hezbollah and Kait'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada." The Syrian state radio slammed Washington’s actions as aggression, reporting that there is no information about victims of the airstrikes. Meanwhile, Saudi Al Hadath TV channel informed that 17 members of the pro-Iranian groups were killed.

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