RUSSIA accused the United States today of training militants in the strategically important Al-Tanf region of southern Syria, where it has established a military base despite being told to leave the country.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a press conference that Moscow has information that the US military is training anti-government militia close to the Jordanian border, which it has held since it was captured by the New Syrian Army in 2016.

“In fact, under the excuse of fighting against the ISIL 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,” Ms Zakharova said.