Assad's deal with Russian mercenaries probably led to attack directed at US backed forces

Washington Post:
What we know about the shadowy Russian mercenary firm behind an attack on U.S. troops in Syria

U.S. intelligence reports suggest that Yevgeniy Prigozhin, who is known as “Putin’s chef” and is linked to the firm, was in touch with the Kremlin and Syrian officials shortly before and after the attack. The situation raises big questions about the firm’s role in the Syrian war.
The Russians and their Syrian allies attack was aimed at capturing Syrian oil fields held by the US backed group.  Assad had promised the Russian mercenaries approximately 30 percent of the profits from the captured wells.  They saw it as a for-profit attack and did not expect the US to be able to react so quickly to their operation.  Mercenaries are a for-profit fighting force and the oil revenues were probably the only resource Assad could offer them for making the attack.

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