Russia denies reports on airstrikes on areas mentioned by US military

Moscow [Russia], Mar. 2 (ANI): Russia has denied allegations by the US-led coalition that former's jets had carried out airstrikes in Syria against the US-controlled armed groups. "Neither Syrian nor Russian aircraft carried out any airstrikes against the areas mentioned by the American side," TASS quoted the statement by Russian Defence Ministry as saying. It, however, added the effective cooperation between the command of Russia's Aerospace Forces at the Hmeymim airbase and the US Air Force as part of battle against ISIS in Syria will continue in the future. Earlier, Russian air forces bombed a site extremely close to U.S. troops in Syria, a near-miss while targeting the Islamic State - though the strikes still hit U.S.-backed forces. The Fox News quoted U.S. Lt. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend as saying on Wednesday that the incident occurred after Russian pilots began bombing what they thought were ISIS fighters in a "bunch of villages" in northern Syria. Meanwhile, Russia's escalating involvement in Syria, though, has posed complications -- while the U.S. and Russia both are fighting ISIS, Moscow has been at odds with Washington in its support of Bashar Assad. Townsend also said soldiers continue to make progress in the fight to destroy ISIS, but, officials have no plans to increase troop levels.(ANI)