Pentagon Claims It Targeted Daesh on Day Coalition Bombed Syrian Army

The US-led coalition said it targeted Daesh terrorists in Syria on Saturday. Some of the airstrikes were carried out in Deir ez-Zor, where the coalition's aircraft attacked the country's army on the same day.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The US-led coalition has carried out 12 strikes against Daesh in Syria, the US Department of Defense said Sunday.

"U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday…Attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 12 strikes in Syria," the Department of Defense said in a statement, citing Operation Inherent Resolve officials.

Three of the strikes, which were conducted on Saturday, were carried out in Deir ez-Zor, destroying Daesh oil trucks and damaging several supply routes, according to the statement.

The attacks took place on the day when coalition planes hit Syrian army positions at a military airport near Deir ez-Zor, which is besieged by Daesh. The US Central Command said that Syrian forces were mistaken for Daesh fighters. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the attacks saying they killed 62 servicemen and injured 100 more.

Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups, including Daesh, which is outlawed in many countries, including Russia. The government-held city of Deir ez-Zor has been under siege from Daesh since July 2014.

The US-led coalition has been carrying out anti-Daesh strikes since September 2014 without Syrian government consent.