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WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Pentagon confirmed on Tuesday the Russian military notified the U.S.-led coalition currently fighting the Islamic State (IS) before Russian bombers carried out airstrikes in Syria from Iran.
"The Russians did notify the coalition as per the memorandum of understanding (MOU) for safety of flight," said Pentagon spokesman Christopher Garver, referring to the U.S.-Russian MOU signed last October to avoid an inadvertent clash in Syrian airspace during their own airstrikes against terrorist targets there.
"They (Russians) activated that system, as we have in the past. They informed us they were coming through and we ensured safety of flight as those bombers passed through the area and toward their target and then when they passed out again," Garver said at a press conference.
While he insisted that U.S.-led coalition operations in either Iraq or Syria was not impacted during the time, Garver refused to comment on whether U.S. aircrafts had to be moved out of the path.
"We knew in time when they activate the safety of flight memorandum of understanding instructions. It's not a lot of time, but it's enough, and it was enough time to make sure that we could ensure safety of flight," said Garver.
Garver also declined to comment on whether the United States was aware of any major preparations on the Iranian base beforehand.
The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday Russian bombers carried out airstrikes against IS and Nusra Front, the Syrian affiliate of al-Qaida group from an air base in Iran for the first time.
The ministry said in a statement that five large warehouses with weapons, ammunition, fuel and lubricants, three command posts and several training camps were destroyed, and a large number of militants were also killed in the airstrikes.
