U.S. military says crisis communications link with Russia 'in use'

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military said on Friday that a crisis communications link with Russia meant to avoid an accidental clash over Syria was "in use," even after Moscow threatened to abandon it over the U.S. downing of a Syrian military jet on Sunday.

"The deconfliction line is open and it is in use," Army Colonel Ryan Dillon, a Baghdad-based spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition battling Islamic State in Iraq and Syria told a Pentagon news conference.