Russia in Syria: United States and Turkey claim Russian warplanes hitting

Iraq’s government and powerful Iranian-backed Shi’ite militias question the United States’ resolve in fighting Islamic State militants, who control a third of the country, saying U.S.-led coalition air strikes are ineffective.

Syria said it had set in train a major military operation in a war that began more than four years ago as an attempt to unseat Mr al-Assad through street protests and has now killed 250,000 people, sent millions into exile as refugees, and drawn in armed forces from world and regional powers. The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk about the secret meeting.

Wednesday’s offensive in central Syria and the ensuing clashes with militants, including al-Qaida’s Syrian branch, was the first major ground fighting since Moscow began launching air raids in Syria last week. Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin in televised remarks that Russian Federation on Wednesday morning carried out 26 missile strikes from four warships of its Caspian Sea flotilla.

The launches marked the combat debut of the Russian Kalibr long-range cruise missiles, equivalent to U.S. Tomahawk missiles. They have been openly betrayed by their Iraqi allies who allowed the Russians to operate in an area of U.S. strategic power.

Secondly, while we are unlikely to defeat ISIS, there may still be a role for carefully targeted and executed airstrikes that will limit the organisation’s capacity to expand and do more harm.

On October 1, the group accused Russian Federation of targeting its bases in Idlib province with “more than 10 missiles”.

Russian officials deny sending any ground troops to the battlefield.

In Iraq, the USA has been wary of helping to deepen Iran’s influence and has avoided coordinating with the Shiite militias, trying instead to boost the Iraqi military, while pressing the Shiite-led government to ease sectarian tensions with the Sunni minority.

“The holy warriors of Syria are defending the whole Islamic nation”.

A Syrian rebel commander said the offensive included airstrikes, helicopter-borne paratroopers, tanks and artillery, targeting three towns in Idlib province near Syria’s border with Turkey and a fourth village in Hama province.

Reuters, citing congressional officials and other official sources, reported that the House and Senate intelligence committees were looking at whether the intelligence community misjudged or overlooked signs of Moscow’s action, which began in earnest September 30 with airstrikes supporting Syrian government forces. Rebels have controlled areas on the highway since 2012.

Over the weekend, Turkey reported back-to-back violations of its airspace by Russian warplanes.

Joint operations of Syrian and Russian air forces pounded opposition positions in northern Aleppo and Latakia provinces, Syrian state media said, reporting that “precise” strikes had killed “hundreds of terrorists” and destroyed armored vehicles and other opposition equipment.

Two low-flying helicopters were seen in Morek but escaped militant fire, the Observatory said. “The Russian reconnaissance planes are constantly hovering in the air”.

Hezbollah-run al-Manar television said in a newsflash that “an operation by the Syrian army started in a number of villages and towns in the northern countryside of Hama province”. In reality, his targets comprised nearly all Syrian opposition groups.

U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Turkey’s defenses won’t be weakened by previously planned moves by the USA and Germany to pull out their Patriot anti-missile systems.

Islamic State forces captured Palmyra in May, an advance that brought them closer to the core of government-held territory in western Syria. “The Iranians fooled the USA negotiators into believing that halting their already faltering nuclear programme was worth all these western concessions, including turning a blind eye to their activity and interference in Iraq and Syria”, he noted. US aircraft are still flying missions daily over Syria, the Pentagon said.

Syria’s ambassador to Russian Federation now claims that Moscow in just a few days of bombing has destroyed 40% of IS infrastructure.

The Kremlin said it had not received any official request from Iraq for air strikes against Islamic State there.