DAMASCUS (Reuters) - A Syrian government minister said U.S.-led air strikes against militants are going in the "right direction" because the government had been informed before they started and they were not hitting civilians or Syrian military targets.

"What has happened so far is proceeding in the right direction in terms of informing the Syrian government and by not targeting Syrian military installations and not targeting civilians," Ali Haidar, minister for national reconciliation, told Reuters on Wednesday.

(This story clarifies to show minister meant government was told before strikes)

(Reporting by Kinda Makieh, editing by John Stonestreet)