WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Russia does not appear to be looking to escalate the conflict in Syria, the leading U.S. general in the Middle East said on Friday, even as Moscow pursues its invasion of Ukraine. Russian forces have remained in Syria since 2015 when they helped turn the tide in a civil war in favor of President Bashar al-Assad. The United States has roughly 900 troops in Syria, sometimes near Russian troops. While the interactions are generally safe and professional, a small number of U.S. troops were wounded in 2020 when a Russian military patrol slammed into their vehicle. “We have no…