Obama Says Deal Reached With Russia to Avert Syria Air Conflicts
- U.S. president says Russians can't `bomb their way' to sucess
- Turkey downs drone, warns Russia over Syria accident risk
A missile-loaded Turkish Air Force warplane takes off from the Incirlik Air Base, in the outskirts of the city of Adana, southeastern Turkey, on July 28, 2015.
Source: AFP via GettyPresident Barack Obama said the U.S. has reached an agreement with Russia to avoid clashes in the skies as their air forces conduct bombing raids in Syria, though he added that the world powers remain far apart in their approach to the conflict.
“The only understanding that we’ve arrived at is how do we ‘deconflict’ in the event that our planes and their planes might be occupying similar space over Syrian skies,” Obama said Friday at a White House . “So in that sense we’ve arrived at an understanding and some channels for communication. Where we will continue to differ is in the basic set of principles and strategies we’re pursuing inside of Syria.”