BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:20 A.M.) – Russia accused the U.S. military on Thursday of training militants inside the Al-Tanf region of southern Syria.

During a press conference on Thursday, the Spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said that the Kremlin has information about the U.S. military training militants in the Al-Tanf region.

“In fact, under the excuse of fighting against the ISIL [the former name of the Islamic State terror group outlawed in Russia – TASS] and – as we were told – in order to contain Iran, a big US military base was set up there – in a strategically important area adjacent to the borders of Syria, Iraq and Jordan, which is close to the highway connecting Baghdad and Damascus. And there, according to numerous witness accounts, militant training is underway,” the Russian diplomat said.

The U.S. has been in control of the Al-Tanf region since the New Syrian Army (NSA) captured this border area in 2016.