US, Russian Federation to discuss air safety in Syria: Pentagon

Meanwhile, a military source told SANA that the Russian warplanes in co-operation with the Syrian air force carried out a series of air strikes against the positions of the Islamic State (IS).

“Dozens of combatants were killed on both sides”, said Rami Abdel Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

“#SyriaIsOurs” has also appeared alongside photos of purported Syrian activists thanking Russian Federation (and whoever else was cropped out of this photo, by the way) for its support for Assad. Toyota is working with US officials after questions were raised about the prominent use of its vehicles by militant organizations in Syria, Iraq and Libya.

It is from this angle that the sharp criticism of Moscow from Riyadh or Doha – which not only were originally ideological inspirers of the start of military action to topple Assad, but also directly or indirectly support a few of the groups fighting against Assad – should be considered.

In addition, the Russian attacks in the Aleppo region, northwestern Syria, had killed a further 100 militants. He did not spell out details but said Mr. Carter had directed that “equipment packages and weapons” be provided to “a select group of vetted leaders and their units”.

The talks between Mr Carter and Mr Fallon came after North Atlantic Treaty Organisation defence ministers agreed on Thursday to a doubling of the alliance’s response force – to 40,000 – amid fears from eastern European states that they could be the next target of Russian aggression.

“At a time when the rebels are waging fierce battles against the Russian occupiers in Hama countryside, Daesh seizes the Infantry Academy and a number of villages in Aleppo”, said Hadi Abdullah, an activist with close links to the Army of Conquest, a coalition that includes mainstream rebels as well as al-Qaida’s affiliate, the Nusra Front.

Kweiras base is about 31 miles (50 kilometers) away from the area of the IS offensive Thursday night. “It’s also, as we’ve said before, we believe a mistake for Russian Federation, because not only are they going to be exacerbating sectarian tensions there in Syria, but they’re potentially exacerbating sectarian tensions in Russian Federation itself”. To what extent it will be possible to resist this pressure is the question of diplomatic bargaining, including on the fate of Assad himself and his role in the negotiating process in the transitional period.

The conflict began as an uprising against Assad’s rule in 2011 but has splintered into a multi-faceted civil war involving government troops, Western-backed rebels, jihadists and Kurdish forces.

He said Russian Federation had bombed a command post in IS stronghold Raqa, killing two senior commanders and around 200 fighters, according to intercepted radio communications. The US has had success working, for example, with Syrian Kurds and Sunni Arab rebel groups in northern Syria.