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Efforts to Activate Russian-US Coordination in Syria

Caption: A picture taken on October 3, 2015 shows Russian Sukhoi Su-30 SM jet fighters landing on a runway at the Hmeimim airbase in the Syrian province of Latakia. AFP Photo
Caption: A picture taken on October 3, 2015 shows Russian Sukhoi Su-30 SM jet fighters landing on a runway at the Hmeimim airbase in the Syrian province of Latakia. AFP Photo
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Efforts to Activate Russian-US Coordination in Syria

Caption: A picture taken on October 3, 2015 shows Russian Sukhoi Su-30 SM jet fighters landing on a runway at the Hmeimim airbase in the Syrian province of Latakia. AFP Photo
Caption: A picture taken on October 3, 2015 shows Russian Sukhoi Su-30 SM jet fighters landing on a runway at the Hmeimim airbase in the Syrian province of Latakia. AFP Photo

The Russian and US armies activated their communications days after their forces witnessed the most violent skirmish in months in Syria, when a vehicle collision in the eastern part of the war-torn country left American troops with injuries.

“The two sides activated communications through military channels with an aim of respecting the delicate protocols reached between them and to prevent any future collisions,” a Russian source told Asharq Al-Awsat on Friday.

He said that despite a turning up of rhetoric and accusations between the two sides following the incident, Moscow kept its patrols in the agreed areas and informed the US about their itinerary.

“The current contacts between the two sides aim to prevent any escalation and to enhance coordination in the future,” the Russian source said.

On Tuesday, one US official said Russian vehicles sideswiped a light-armored US military vehicle outside of the Syrian town of Al-Malikiyah located near Syria’s northeastern triple border with Turkey and Iraq, injuring four Americans.

Russia blamed the US military for the incident.

Washington then accused the Russian armored vehicle of hitting a US Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle and of violating “de-confliction protocols” worked out between Washington and Moscow since 2015.

Following the incident, a telephone conversation was held between the chief of the Russian military’s General Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, and his US counterpart, Gen. Mark Milley, to contain the dispute.

Government-owned Russian media outlets stressed that the Russian forces “had succeeded in sending a clear message to the US to prevent it from continuing to stop Russian patrols in the area.”

Meanwhile, a delegation from the Syrian Democratic Council is in Moscow for expected talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday on the latest developments in eastern Syria.

Separately, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said Friday that a new air defense system will be sent to Syria to counter unmanned aerial vehicles by detecting and jamming the satellite “navigation system” channels.

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Iraq Urges Trump to Strengthen Security Coordination

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (Government Media)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (Government Media)
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Iraq Urges Trump to Strengthen Security Coordination

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (Government Media)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (Government Media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani congratulated US President Donald Trump on returning to the White House, while the Shiite-led Coordination Framework ignored the occasion.

Instead, Coordination Framework officials focused on calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and domestic issues.

In his message on Tuesday, al-Sudani’s gesture seemed to clear the way for Iraq to move past the arrest warrant issued for Trump in 2021 over the 2020 killings of Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

The Iraqi judiciary stated at the time that the arrest warrant was based on Article 406 of the Iraqi Penal Code and that investigations into other individuals involved, whether Iraqi or foreign, would continue.

This week, Iraqi activists shared an image of the judicial decision, sparking debate on social media about the fate of the arrest warrant now that Trump has returned to the US presidency.

Some argued that the warrant would remain a point of embarrassment for those who pushed for its issuance.

Nevertheless, Sudani congratulated Trump, expressing Iraq's interest in strengthening ties with the US through the Strategic Framework Agreement, focusing on mutual interests.

He emphasized the importance of promoting regional and global stability, security, and development.

Sudani reiterated Iraq’s commitment to its strategic relationship with the US and expanding cooperation in security, economics, culture, technology, investment, and sustainable development, while respecting sovereignty and avoiding interference in domestic affairs.

President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid also congratulated Trump on his re-election, affirming Iraq’s support for security and stability in the region and the world, and for enhancing bilateral relations to benefit both nations.

In contrast, the Coordination Framework refrained from mentioning Trump in its statement following a meeting held in Baghdad on Monday night into Tuesday, coinciding with the inauguration ceremony in Washington.

Instead, the coalition congratulated the Palestinian people on the Gaza ceasefire and urged the international community to ramp up efforts to rebuild war-torn areas, assist displaced people, and address the destruction of infrastructure, particularly hospitals and schools.

The Coordination Framework also highlighted consensus among the Iraqi parliament’s leadership, calling for support for provincial governors in fulfilling their duties.

While praising the government's successful foreign visits, Coordination Framework officials emphasized the importance of maintaining Iraq’s balanced foreign policy.