Pentagon Says Russia Knowingly Hit US Kurdish Proxy in Syria

"Russian munitions impacted a location known to the Russians to contain Syrian Democratic Forces and coalition advisers,” the Pentagon said in a statement.
 
 “Several SDF fighters were wounded,” the statement red, adding coalition troops advising and assisting the SDF were not wounded.
 
Russia's military spokesman earlier denied targeting SDF, a manly Kurdish militia.
 
"This is not possible. Why would we bomb them?" Igor Konashenkov, Russia's military spokesman, told AFP news agency at the Hmeimim base, Moscow's main outpost for its air operations in Syria.
 
The attack was first reported by the SDF in a statement, which accused the Syrian government - backed by Russia air force – of bombing its positions near the oil-rich province of Deir ez-Zor.
 
Ahmed Abu Khawla, the commander of the SDF's Deir ez-Zor military council, said Russian or Syrian fighter jets flew in from government territory before dawn on Saturday (local time).
 
The warplanes struck as the SDF waged "heated and bloody battles" in the industrial zone on the eastern, he said.
 
"We have requested explanations from the Russian Government," he told Reuters.
 
Experts have already voiced concerns over possible clashes between Syrian army forces and Kurdish militia as the SDF, with the US green light, has launched offensive in areas where Syrian troops have already launched military operation to liberate the area from ISIS.  
 
The Syrian Army continues to make rapid gains against ISIS in the eastern city of Deir ez-Zor since breaking the years long terrorist siege earlier last week which had over 100,000 Syrian civilians trapped. On 10 September, the army reached its most important goal in the campaign to date - the liberation of Deir Ez-Zor military airport which had been completely surrounded by ISIS for nearly a year. The army's full control of the airport means that most of Deir ez-Zor's western half is now under the control of the government.
 
Though ISIS lines are crumbling, US presence in the area threatens to complicate the Syrian military's forward momentum in the eastern provinces of Deir Ez-Zor and Hasaka. On the very day the Syrian government celebrated this key victory, US coalition 'Operation Inherent Resolve' announced its own advance on ISIS held territory in Deir ez-Zor through its allied partners on the ground, including the SDF proxy. At times it has clashed with Syrian troops, while at others has displayed some level of tacit and loose coordination.