Russian army briefs Turkey about airspace violations

It said its forces had taken control of one village north of the city.

“What is happening between Russian Federation and Egypt, as well as Saudi Arabia, is indeed a new development that is meant to occupy the vacuum left by USA non-intervention, or the perception of it”, said Svetlova, the Israeli lawmaker and a former journalist specializing in the Arab-speaking world. Gen. Igor Konashenkov told reporters on October. 15. Defense officials later issued a correction, saying it had no indication “any of that equipment was shared with any other groups”.

Before the press conference, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met with the Iranian official, and hailed the Iranian and Russian support to his administration, state news agency SANA reported.

Tehran dispatched the troops into northern and central Syria, where they joined fighters from Iran’s Lebanese ally, Hezbollah, to take advantage of an extensive Russian aerial bombardment against rebels fighting Syrian forces.

It was not clear if the airstrikes on the suburbs of Damascus were the first to hit the area since Russian Federation began its airstrikes two weeks ago.

With this Russian air support, the Syrian military has conducted campaigns aimed at retaking land from rebel forces from Hama to Aleppo.

“Russia is in the midst of a huge mistake”, said Sinirlioglu, pointing that the Syrian opposition wanted Syrian people to live in democracy and in line with humanitarian honor.

“Operations against the Syrian opposition will likely prove harder and slower than anticipated by either Russian Federation or Iran”.

Russian Federation carried out its Thursday airstrikes to provide cover for an offensive by Syrian government troops in the central province of Homs, according to Syrian state television and activists.

The Syrian Army and its allies are operating along three main fronts: Hama Province, centered on the rebel-held town of Kfar Zita; Al-Ghab plain, a flat agricultural region just to the west; and the northeastern part of Latakia Province, where loyalist forces are attempting to push back rebel groups from mountains overlooking the coastal region, the heartland of the Assad regime.

Russian President Vladimir Putin showed disappointment on Thursday at the United States refusal to receive a delegation for talks over the Syria crisis.

Moscow has said Washington refused its offer to discuss further military cooperation in the war-torn country. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sharply criticized Russian Federation for targeting moderate rebels and warned Moscow that Ankara could turn to other gas suppliers if it doesn’t revise its policy in Syria.

“I don’t quite understand how our American partners can criticise Russia’s actions in Syria in the fight against worldwide terrorism if they refuse to hold direct dialogue even in such an important area as political settlement”.