Russian APC rams US armored vehicle in Syria
The armored personnel carrier rammed a MRAP vehicle driven by Green Berets patrolling in the northeastern part of the country
Eyal Boguslavsky
| 26/08/2020
A US military patrol outside Manbij, Syria. Photo: US Army/Staff Sgt. Timothy R. Koster
Defense-blog.com reports a serious incident that took place this week between U.S. and Russian military forces in northeastern Syria. The incident in question occurred Monday morning, when a Russian military convoy tried to gain access to key oil fields in Al-Hasakah province.
In a video shared on social media on Wednesday, Russian military vehicles are seen nudging and harassing U.S. armored vehicles that were trying to overtake them.
Several American Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles tried to stop the Russian military vehicles west of Al-Hasakah province. But later, the Russian vehicles took a number of aggressive measures, including blocking American armored vehicles. One U.S. armored vehicle was caught between Russian BTR-82 and Typhoon-K vehicles.
At the same time, an Mi-8 helicopter and an Mi-35 multirole gunship from the Russian Air Force provided cover for the Russian military convoy.
Despite no significant conflict being reported, the incident was a reminder of the high stakes in Syria, where the U.S. military is guarding oil fields to prevent them from falling into the hands of other actors, including Russia and extremist groups. It should be recalled that in February 2018, the Wagner Group, a mercenary militia in the service of the Russian army, attacked Kurdish forces and American forces in an attempt to take over an oil field east of the Euphrates River. In the ensuing battle, between 200 and 300 mercenaries were killed, according to a New York Times report.
The armored personnel carrier rammed a MRAP vehicle driven by Green Berets patrolling in the northeastern part of the country
A US military patrol outside Manbij, Syria. Photo: US Army/Staff Sgt. Timothy R. Koster
Defense-blog.com reports a serious incident that took place this week between U.S. and Russian military forces in northeastern Syria. The incident in question occurred Monday morning, when a Russian military convoy tried to gain access to key oil fields in Al-Hasakah province.
In a video shared on social media on Wednesday, Russian military vehicles are seen nudging and harassing U.S. armored vehicles that were trying to overtake them.
Several American Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles tried to stop the Russian military vehicles west of Al-Hasakah province. But later, the Russian vehicles took a number of aggressive measures, including blocking American armored vehicles. One U.S. armored vehicle was caught between Russian BTR-82 and Typhoon-K vehicles.
At the same time, an Mi-8 helicopter and an Mi-35 multirole gunship from the Russian Air Force provided cover for the Russian military convoy.
Despite no significant conflict being reported, the incident was a reminder of the high stakes in Syria, where the U.S. military is guarding oil fields to prevent them from falling into the hands of other actors, including Russia and extremist groups. It should be recalled that in February 2018, the Wagner Group, a mercenary militia in the service of the Russian army, attacked Kurdish forces and American forces in an attempt to take over an oil field east of the Euphrates River. In the ensuing battle, between 200 and 300 mercenaries were killed, according to a New York Times report.
