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MOSCOW / WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The US military announced on Saturday that two US fighter planes dropped phosphorus bombs on the Syrian province of Deir al-Zor, TASS and RIA news agencies reported.
The air strikes targeted the village of Hajin, the last major Islamic State stronghold in Syria, and caused fires, but there is no information on the victims, the Russian military said.
A Pentagon spokesman denied that US planes dropped phosphorus bombs. "To date, we have not received any reports regarding the use of white phosphorus," said Commander Sean Robertson. "None of the military units in the region are even equipped with white phosphorus ammunition."
Human rights groups said the US-led coalition against the Islamic State had used white phosphorus ammunition during the conflict in Syria. Bombs can create thick white smoke screens and are used as incendiary devices. Human rights groups criticize the use of ammunition in populated areas because they can kill and mutilate by burning people.
The coalition or partner forces have probably carried out air strikes in July in eastern Syria, where the remains of the Islamic State have been blocked, the coalition said.
US-Russian tensions have intensified in recent days as the Trump administration considers military options if Syria ignores US warnings against the use of chemical weapons in an expected assault on Idlib, the last major enclave of opposing rebels to the Syrian government.
Russian and Syrian jets resumed their strikes in Idlib and Hama on Sunday as Damascus intensified its assault after a Russian-Iran-Turkey summit failed to reach an agreement on a ceasefire.
Report by Maria Kiselyova in Moscow and Idrees Ali and Timothy Gardner in Washington; Edited by Kevin Liffey
