Russia warns US, says special forces helping Syrian troops

FILE - In this Friday, Sept. 15, 2017 file photo, a Russian soldier guards as a military helicopter flies over Palmyra, Syria. Russian special forces are helping Syrian government troops fight Islamic State militants in the battle underway for the strategic city of Deir el-Zour in eastern Syria, the defense ministry in Moscow said on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017. The deployment comes amid rising concerns of a direct confrontation on the ground between Russian-backed forces on one side and the U.S.-supported Kurdish-led Syrian forces on the other. (AP Photo, File)
FILE - In this Friday, Sept. 15, 2017 file photo, a Russian soldier guards as a military helicopter flies over Palmyra, Syria. Russian special forces are helping Syrian government troops fight Islamic State militants in the battle underway for the strategic city of Deir el-Zour in eastern Syria, the defense ministry in Moscow said on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017. The deployment comes amid rising concerns of a direct confrontation on the ground between Russian-backed forces on one side and the U.S.-supported Kurdish-led Syrian forces on the other. (AP Photo, File)

MOSCOW (AP) - A stern Russian warning Thursday against targeting its special forces in eastern Syria heightened concerns over direct clashes between rival Moscow- and Washington-backed forces fighting for the energy wealth to be found among the Islamic State group's shrinking domain.

The warning was followed by an acknowledgement from the Pentagon of an unprecedented, face-to-face meeting between Russian and American military leaders inside or near Syria to address the rising tensions.

With both Russian-supported Syrian government forces and rival, U.S.-supported Syrian Democratic Forces determined to follow the bends of the Euphrates River all the way to the Iraqi border, Russia's warning underscored the delicacy of the arrangements that have so far kept the two sides from entering into open conflict.

Both sides and their patrons said they are determined to wipe out the Islamic State group from Raqqa province in the north and Deir El-Zour province in the east as quickly as possible. The Syrian government depends on Iranian military support, as well.

However, the region - especially Deir el-Zour province - is home to mineral, natural gas and oil reserves the Syrian government will need to restore its economy as it looks to wind down a more than six-year-long civil war.

As for the SDF forces fighting there, most are from the province and many do not want Syrian President Bashar Assad's authority restored, having risen up against his government in the early years of the war.

And Washington fears further advances by pro-government forces could help Iran - which also has thousands of militiamen fighting alongside the Syrian government - expand its influence across the region via a land bridge spanning through Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, all the way to Israel.

Russia's Defense Ministry said for the first time Thursday that it had deployed special forces with pro-government forces in the province and accused the U.S.-backed SDF of firing on its allies twice in two days.

It said it would retaliate against any future strikes from SDF-controlled areas.

"The firing positions in those areas will be immediately destroyed with all the arsenal at our disposal," Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said in a statement.

Such a response would likely endanger the U.S. special forces embedded with the SDF, raising the possibility of escalation. The U.S. provides artillery and air support for the SDF.

An SDF officer commanding the Deir el-Zour forces denied targeting pro-government forces and promised reciprocal action for any attacks against his troops.

"We are far from them, Daesh is between us," Ahmad Abu Khawla said, using the Arabic acronym for IS. "We didn't fire a single bullet toward the regime" forces.