Russian Federation Airstrikes Not Targeting Islamic State Areas in Syria

A military source told Fox News Wednesday that Russian officials issued a demarche, ordering US planes out of Syria. France and Turkey have previously carried out airstrikes against terror groups in Syria, as part of a U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition.

Russian Federation is a self-declared ally of Syrian leader Bashar Assad, and says backing his army is the best way to fight IS.

Russia has already sent military experts to a recently established centre in Baghdad that is coordinating air strikes and ground troops in Syria, a Russian official told Reuters on Wednesday.

The areas targeted in Hama include places controlled mostly by militants and moderate rebel groups, as well as those held by Al-Nusra and groups that have pledged allegiance to IS.

Earlier on Wednesday Russian president Vladimir Putin secured parliament’s unanimous backing to launch air strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria. Washington has agreed to talk to Moscow on how to “deconflict” their military actions.

Assad’s forces are also blamed by the West and others for crackdowns and attacks that have forced millions to flee the country – and now joining a wave of migrants and asylum seeking pouring into Europe.

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg Tuesday called on Russian Federation to play a constructive role in restoring peace in war-ravaged Syria. With dozens of Russian combat jets and helicopter gunships lined up at an air base in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready for a big-time show at the United Nations General Assembly. The Russians told the United States that they should not fly US warplanes in Syria, but gave no geographical information about where they planned to strike.

Ivanov said the upper house of parliament had backed military action by 162 votes to zero after President Bashar al-Assad had asked for Russian military assistance.

In a brief statement, the Kremlin said that Putin had requested the authorization to use force “on the basis of universally recognized principles and norms of worldwide law”. “There were no questions that might have influenced this atmosphere”.

“We won’t enter a risk zone of where we would be dragged into a long-term conflict or when the risk of our servicemen’s lives is at stake”.