US remains partner of Middle East nations – US official
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The nations in the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations remain important to the National Defense Strategy and figure in the world of strategic competition, a US senior defense official said on Sunday.
The US remains the partner of choice for the nations of the Middle East, the US Department of Defense said, citing the official as saying.
China and Russia are working to increase their influence and shape the strategic environment in their favor, the official added.
The US troops are dedicated to defeat the Islamic State (ISIS), while Russia is backing the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad who used chemical weapons against his own people.
The CENTCOM is working to “maintain influence while also maintaining the safety of our forces that are on the ground working toward the enduring defeat of ISIS,” he said.
Russia has been acting in an unprofessional and dangerous manner, especially in the air. Russia’s efforts to interfere with unmanned aerial vehicles engaged in actions against ISIS are concerns, the official added.
Russia continues to “undertake activities which are very concerning to us … This is in violation of the de-confliction protocols.”