The US Air Force has once again accused Russian fighter jets of harassing American MQ-9 Reaper drones over Syria, this time on July 7.
The incident is the third this week, according to the US, that American drones over Syria have been intercepted by Russian aircraft.
The three MQ-9 drones were “harassed” by Russian fighters during a two-hour encounter, the head of US Air Force Central Command said.US CENTCOM said that the Russian aircraft flew 18 dangerously “unprofessional close passes” near the American UAVs.
The maneuver followed one on July 5 and another on July 6, after which Washington criticized Moscow for flying near the drones. The US said that its MQ-9 drones were airborne to conduct a mission against ISIS targets in northwest Syria.
The US has previously called the engagement a “new level” of inappropriate behavior exhibited by Russia’s air force over Syria.
Source: CRUX - YouTube