 US and Russia may clash in Syria, a recent spike in aggressive behavior by the Russian military over Syria, coupled with the downing of an American drone by a Russian fighter jet in the Black Sea, is prompting fears that Moscow and Washington are on a collision course to confrontation. While scuffles and standoffs between Russia and the United States in northeastern Syria are not new, developments this month have sparked concern among analysts that a more serious skirmish is possible. De-escalation is urgently needed to prevent the situation from spiralling out of control. About it informed syndication bureau outlet. American and Russian militaries have operated in an uneasy coexistence in Syria since the Kremlin sent forces there in 2015 to support the Syrian government. US troops were deployed to northeastern Syria in 2014 to counter the Islamic State ISIS terrorist group in cooperation with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. About 900 US military members remain to keep a potential resurgence of ISIS at bay, notably the US and Russia established communication channels in 2015 to prevent direct military encounters. But since March 1st this year, US forces have reported a surge in unprofessional behavior by Russia's air force in Syria. Russian aircraft are acting aggressively toward US bases in a manner not typically of an organized military force, commanders have said. For instance, armed Russian jets reportedly flew sorties over American bases in the country nearly every day last month, violating the de-confliction agreement between the two countries. Lieutenant General Alexis Grinkiewicz, the top US force general in the Middle East, said Russia's aggressive posture in Syria is linked to the return of Russian commanders after failing in Ukraine. To me, it's very, very concerning, he said. I believe that some of those Russian leaders are trying to rebuild their reputation. The US recently increased its military presence in the Middle East in response to the heightened Russian aggression in Syria. In addition to deploying a squadron of A-1 attack aircraft ahead of schedule, a carrier strike group was ordered to remain in the region to support US forces. Through these actions, the US is signaling that it will take all necessary measures to defend its forces in Syria and the wider region.