Russia to Investigate Death of Civilians during US Operation in Syria

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow favors the efforts of other states, "including members of the US-led international coalition, in the anti-terrorist direction."

"[We are] poised for cooperation with all interested countries in the interests of establishing a joint effective counteraction to this common threat for all. At the same time, in our practical actions, we are guided by the necessity to carefully select targets while planning and implementing targeted military operations in order to exclude the possibility of civilian deaths," she said.

"We also call on other countries directly involved in counter-terrorism actions to follow suit. If the information about civilian casualties during this US-led action is confirmed, then this should probably be the subject of a thorough investigation," she concluded, the Tass news agency reported.

The United States coordinated with Russia to deconflict airspace during an operation that killed the leader of the ISIS terror group in northwestern Syria, CNN reported on Thursday, citing a US defense official.

"The US told Russia it would be operating in a broad general area of northwest Syria, during a timeframe and told them to stay out of the area," the media outlet said.

Earlier on Thursday, the White House released a written statement by US President Joe Biden, in which he claimed that US military forces had carried out a counterterrorism operation in northwestern Syria, taking IS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Quraysh "off the battlefield.".

At least 13 people, including six children, have been killed during a United States special operations forces raid in Syria’s militint-held Idlib province, according to residents and first responders.