International security

U.S., Russia resume military relations to 'deconflict' in Syria

The U.S. and Russia are ending an 18-month freeze in military-to-military relations and initiating talks about how to pursue "deconfliction" of the American and Russian forces that are now both involved in the Syrian civil war, a Pentagon official said Friday.

The moves comes as Russia builds a large military base in Syria with troops and aircraft, apparently with the aim to provide direct support to the embattled regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, which the U.S. opposes.

A top U.S. commander said Wednesday that the Russian activity could put U.S. pilots at risk and vastly complicate the current American-led air campaign to defeat the Islamic State militants who control large swaths of both Iraq and Syria.