Fighting in Syria
Fighting in SyriaFlash 90

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and urged him to prevent "provocations" against Syrian government forces, the foreign ministry in Moscow said, according to AFP.

In a phone call initiated by Tillerson, Lavrov "called on Washington to take steps to prevent provocations against Syrian government forces carrying out operations against terrorists," it said in a statement.

Lavrov and Tillerson also spoke of the need to "strengthen the ceasefire in Syria" and "intensify the fight against terrorist groups," added the statement that was quoted by AFP.

Last week, the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State (ISIS) downed a Syrian army aircraft in southern Raqa.

The U.S. Central Command said the aircraft was downed "in collective self-defense of Coalition-partnered forces."

Earlier this month, the international coalition targeted a unit of pro-regime forces in Syria as they advanced near an area where coalition commandos have been training and advising rebels.

A new round of peace negotiations on Syria is scheduled to take place in the Kazakh capital of Astana on July 4-5.

The six-year conflict has killed more than 320,000 Syrians and forced millions from their homes.