They explained that fighter jets took part in the maneuvers, in which the Russian military also employed artillery in an area covering five locations on the northern bank of the Euphrates river, near the al-Omar oil field where the United States maintains one of its largest military bases in Syria.

The drills might be repeated in Hasakeh and Raqa provinces, after Russia reinforced its presence at the Qamishli and Tabqa air bases, the sources said.

In parallel, US-backed armed groups in eastern Syria reported that Russian fighters flew for the first time over the Tanef region, where the Pentagon has its largest base on its borders with Iraq and Jordan.

These maneuvers took place at the same time as other military drills led by Russian forces from its two air and naval bases on Syria’s Mediterranean coast.

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