RUSSIAN intelligence warned today that US spooks are planning to deploy “terrorist sleeper cells” in Syria to carry out attacks on military targets.

The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, which rarely issues such statements, said that US intelligence was preparing to incite extremist groups to carry out operations against the Syrian army and its allies.

“US secret services are planning to task terrorist sleeper cells in Damascus, its surrounding area and Latakia province with staging pinpoint attacks against Russian military, Iranian military and Syrian law enforcement officers,” a statement by the agency said.

“To achieve their goals in Syria, the Americans are actively using their close contacts with the so-called armed opposition and radical groups.”

Washington has long been accused of supporting jihadist groups in Syria as part of its efforts to oust the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

Under the $1 billion (about £770bn) Operation Timber Sycamore, arms were shipped to Islamists in the biggest covert mission in CIA history.

US forces occupy parts of the country, with about 700 soldiers stationed in north-eastern Syria and a military base in al-Tanf, close to the border with Jordan.

Both Russia and the Syrian government accuse the US of plundering the country’s natural resources, particularly wheat and oil.