title: U.S., Russia military communications channel still open: U.S. officials
text: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Russia has not suspended a military communications channel meant to help U.S. and Russian forces to avoid inadvertent clashes in Syria, despite a U.S. cruise missile strike on a Syrian airbase that has angered Moscow, senior U.S. officials said on Friday. The senior U.S. military officials, who spoke to Pentagon reporters on condition of anonymity, also said U.S. military operations against Islamic State in Syria were unchanged following the cruise missile strike.   The officials said there had been no retaliatory action by Syria or Russia taken against American forces in Syria since the strikes against the Syrian airbase. 