Russian Federation: Syria Airstrikes Targeting ISIS and Other Terror Groups

He also said the United States would “continue to support” moderate rebels in Syria because they are groups that “can help pick up the pieces and stitch together a cohesive, coherent country” in the aftermath of Assad’s rule. It did not give specific locations.

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that, over the previous 24 hours, Russian air strikes had damaged or destroyed 12 targets in Syria belonging to Islamic State (IS) fighters, including a command center and ammunition depots.

A few of the groups that have been hit are supported by countries which oppose both Assad and Islamic State, including at least one group that received training from the Central Intelligence Agency.

“It won’t work. And they will be there for a while if they don’t take a different course”, Obama said referring to a recent Russian military build-up and airstrikes in Syria.

“We call on the Russian Federation to immediately cease its attacks on the Syrian opposition and civilians and to focus its efforts on fighting Isil”.

“The only way to solve the problem in Syria is to have a political transition that is inclusive, that keeps the state intact, that keeps the military intact, that maintains cohesion but that is inclusive”.

In a joint statement on Friday, the USA, UK, Turkey and other coalition members said Russian strikes would “only fuel more extremism”.

Konashenkov said Russian Su-25M and Su-25 jets flew 20 sorties between Wednesday and Thursday morning, and he insisted that civilian areas were not targeted.

President Obama told reporters Russian military support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is “only strengthening ISIL” during his report on the US economy on Friday. Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama discussed the crisis on the sidelines of the General Assembly on Monday and agreed to start talks to avert military clashes by parallel air campaigns.

Asked Thursday whether Putin was satisfied with the way the Russian campaign was going, Peskov said it was “too early” to say.

Hundreds of Iranian troops have arrived in Syria over the last ten days, unspecified Lebanese sources reported to Reuters.

Idlib has seen the brunt of the attacks, while Aleppo and Hama have also been struck.

“We can’t leave it to French, Australian and American aircraft to keep our own British streets safe”, he said.