US declares Russian claim of joint mission in Syria to be ‘rubbish’

The U.S. says Russia‘s claim that its warplanes flew a joint mission over Syria with the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State group is “rubbish.”

Russia’s Defence Ministry said Monday its forces in Syria had received co-ordinates of ISIS targets near al-Bab on Sunday “from the U.S. side via hotline with the international coalition headquarters.”

U.S. Air Force Col. John Dorrian, a coalition spokesman, almost immediately labeled the Russian claim as propaganda.

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U.S. Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said the U.S. does have routine “deconfliction” talks with Russia to avoid unintended aerial incidents in Syria’s crowded skies. But Davis says there have been no changes to that arrangement, and the U.S. has insisted for months that it has no co-ordination or sharing of targets with Russia.

The Trump administration said Monday it is willing to partner with Moscow to combat the Islamic State group.

In his first daily White House press briefing, press secretary Sean Spicer said that U.S. resident Donald Trump has been “very clear” that he will “work with any country committed to defeating ISIS.”

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He says the administration will work “with Russia or anyone else” to defeat the militant group, either militarily or economically.

The president has vowed to defeat IS “quickly” when he takes office, though he has not provided specifics on his plans for U.S. military efforts in Iraq and Syria.

On Monday the Russian Defence Ministry announced that it had carried out a joint airstrike mission with U.S.-led coalition warplanes against IS in Syria. That claim was immediately denied by the Pentagon