by Richard Engel and Kennet Werner
March 15, 2018
DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syria — Standing on a windswept mound, Brig. Gen. Jonathan Braga pointed to the spot just a mile away from where Russian mercenaries and fighters loyal to the Syrian government fired at his soldiers. "Those artillery rounds could have landed and killed Americans, and that's why we continue to prepare our defenses," said Braga, the director of operations for the U.S.-led anti-Islamic State coalition. Only steps away sits a sprawling oil and gas refinery that American forces captured from ISIS last year and that is just beginning to hum with life again. Braga's forces repelled the surprise assault from the pro-Bashar al-Assad fighters and the Russian private military contractors. The Feb. 7 clash was the first time in 50 years that Americans and Russians have engaged in direct combat. While there were no U.S. casualties, Braga worries that more clashes may follow. The Americans and their allies are fortifying embankments to prepare for potential future confrontations. While they are opposed to Assad's government, the Americans have not been targeting the regime's soldiers and its allies in the civil war, including Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah militia.
That mercenaries working for a Russian company were involved has risked igniting tensions with Moscow, an outcome that the White House and the Kremlin have sought to avoid. Both have downplayed the involvement of Russian fighters. On the night of the attack, Braga said he was “absolutely concerned” the clash could turn into a larger confrontation with Russia. The attacking force has since retreated and is now stationed three miles away. “There is no reason for that amount of combat power to be staring at us this closely,” Braga said. “I don’t think that’s healthy for de-escalation.” “It’s notable that both Russia and the U.S. tried to downplay it, especially given the casualties involved,” said Noah Bonsey, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group. U.S. forces “wanted to send a message that they would defend this ground. By downplaying it, it makes it easier for the other side to downplay it.”
