Russia 'counterattacks' US over IS leader's killing

(Baonghean.vn) - After the Pentagon called Russia's announcement that it had killed the second-in-command of IS in Syria a "joke," the Russian Defense Ministry responded on September 2 by saying that the US "lacks understanding."

Russian Su-24 bomber at Hmeimim base in Syria. Photo: Sputnik

According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, it is not surprising that the US Department of Defense does not know clearly about the war situation in Syria because the US does not want to cooperate with Russia.

The statement by the Russian Defense Ministry was aimed at refuting the US's assessment that Russia's report that it had killed IS's second-in-command, Muhammad al-Adnani, in an airstrike on August 30 was a "joke".

“There is nothing unusual about the lack of information about the Russian airstrikes on August 30,” said Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov.

According to Mr. Konashenkov, the US has always been proud of having daily reports on the war situation in Syria, but that report is based on the fact that the US has not cooperated with Russia in anti-IS operations in Syria. Therefore, the US daily report does not contain information about Russian airstrikes.

Mr. Konashenkov said that the US calling the Russian report a "joke" was only to cover up its "ignorance".

The self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) confirmed that Adnani, its second-in-command, was killed on August 30, but did not provide details about his death.

Russia said Adnani was killed in an airstrike by a Russian Su-34 bomber and said the information had been confirmed through intelligence channels.

The Pentagon later announced that Adnani was killed in an operation carried out by the US and its coalition.

Responding to the press on September 2, Mr. Konashenkov said that Russia was not directly targeting Adnani alone but a group of about 40 IS fighters, and questioned the effectiveness of the anti-IS campaign of the US-led international coalition.

“Unlike the US-led anti-IS coalition of more than 60 countries, the Russian Air Force has been very effective in clearing out terrorists in Syria, and Russia has not conducted costly and pointless hunts for a specific individual,” Konashenkov said.

Mr. Konashenkov also took the opportunity to criticize the US for often mistakenly killing civilians in countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria and Iraq instead of destroying terrorists.

Diep Khanh

(According to RT)