Russian Federation launches cruise missile strikes against Syrian rebels

The Islamic State group has strongholds in Raqqa and Aleppo, while the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front has a strong presence in Idlib.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says French President Francois Hollande last week suggested that government forces in Syria form an alliance with the opposition’s Free Syrian Army. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

“It is unlikely that there are Shiites (a Muslim minority group) in Donbass that will go to Syria to fight Sunnis for ideological reasons”, Felgenhauer said.

Davutoğlu said only two of Russia’s 57 air strikes in Syria had hit ISIL militants, while the rest had been against the “moderate ” opposition forces. Shoigu insisted the operation destroyed all the targets and did not launch any strikes upon civilian areas.

“The fact that we launched high-precision missiles from the Caspian Sea at approximately 1,500 kilometers [932 miles] and hit all of the targets says much about the good training in the military-industrial complex and good skills of the staff”, he added.

The clashes followed a wave of Russian air strikes in the same areas, it said.

The United States, Carter said, is not prepared to cooperate with a strategy of Russia’s that is “tragically flawed”.

He noted that further actions of Russian military would be synchronized with those of the Syrian army on the ground.

“There is no information yet of any (government) advances on the ground, but the air strikes have hit vehicles and insurgent bases”, Abdulrahman said.

Like Moscow, Iran is a key backer of Assad.

In a brutal assault 14 months ago, Islamic State militants seized the air base and then beheaded soldiers loyal to Assad.

“Everyone is fed up with the Donbass (eastern Ukraine) and attention has turned to Syria, where there are intense battles”, said 36-year-old rebel fighter Konstantin, better known as Gin, his nom de guerre. Rebels have controlled areas on the highway since 2012.

Reports that pro-Russian rebels have gone to Syria were not confirmed by the self-proclaimed separatist authorities, nor could they be verified by independent sources.

Two low-flying helicopters were seen in Morek but escaped militant fire, the Observatory said.

However, the United States is willing to hold basic, technical discussions with the Russians to try to secure pilot safety.

He was fluent in Russian, had earned his master’s degree studying the people and their culture, and had spent considerable time in the country with his Russian counterparts getting to know their military doctrine.

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has spoken repeatedly in recent days about Russia’s “irresponsible and unprofessional” moves in Syria.

The Russians fired 26 cruise missiles and hit 11 targets, claiming there were no civilian casualties.

Soleimani’s one mission was to sell Putin on the idea that Russian airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Syria was imperative.

A senior defense official said there was at least one instance in which a Russian aircraft flew within a few miles of a USA drone. He asked that Russian Federation also respect Turkey’s security concerns over neighboring Syria.

Meanwhile, the Russian Navy had also begun participating in the offensive.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned Russia’s ambassador in Ankara again on Monday to protest the breaches, warning of “unwanted results” from similar violations.