CNN: US Told Russian Military of Plans to Strike Syrian Base

U.S. officials told the Russian military beforehand they were going to strike the Syrian airbase Thursday — Moscow soldiers were at the base, according to news reports.

The informing was conducted through a process called "deconfliction," explained CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr.

"They can call each other and try to stay out of each other's way via communication lines," she told Anderson Cooper. "The U.S. used that communication lines and contacted the Russians."

It was not known whether any Russians were injured in the strikes or whether any Moscow aircraft was located there.

"The U.S. will not speak about whether the Russians took any action," Starr said. "They want Moscow to discuss that in these early hours, but they did take care to inform the Russians of what was going to happen."

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