Several Russian cruise missiles landed in Iran, claims US

“… has to be an end to the fighting, there has to be a political solution, a transition”, he said.

The White House declined to comment, and Russia’s defence ministry said: “We do not talk with reference to anonymous sources”. The group, relying on witnesses and video, said the strikes hit predominantly civilian areas in three villages and towns, including homes and a bread distribution center.

Russian Federation hasn’t just targeted anti-Assad groups.

Shortly after President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in New York last week, the U.S. announced that both countries would open “lines of communication” to de-conflict air operations in Syria.

‘The president spoke of the necessary presence of the Syrian opposition around a future negotiating table.

Russian Federation on Wednesday ramped up its air campaign in Syria with heavy aerial bombardments and, for the first time, cruise missile strikes, in support of a major ground operation by the Syrian military.

Defense ministers from the 28-member alliance are meeting Thursday in Brussels at a summit likely to be dominated by Russian Federation intervention in the four and a half year civil war in Syria. But that isn’t who they have been attacking in the vast majority of their strikes.

Even as its ships and warplanes conducted fresh strikes, Russian Federation said it was willing to cooperate with the United States in carrying out attacks in Syria.

Le Drian said that Islamic State was France’s “main enemy” and that Russian strikes were mostly hitting Assad’s opponents in Syria and not IS targets.

The head of the observatory said that there were no ISIS positions in the areas targeted and that fierce clashes were taking place on the ground between regime forces and their allies and armed Islamist rebel factions, including the Ahrar al-Sham and al Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front.

The plain also lies between Hama and Idlib, the northwestern provinces seized from government troops in September.

He has also suggested that given Mr Assad is not a direct threat to the West, the sole focus at this stage should be on Islamic State. Kerry voiced concern that the “preponderance of targets” being struck by Russian military forces in Syria aren’t related to ISIL.

Moscow has recently amplified its assistance to the Syrian military forces, and Russian officials promised more of such aid, including specialists, to Damascus.

“Otherwise one would have to acknowledge that IS facilities – located at a considerable distance from each other – exploded all by themselves,” Konashenkov said. Hamedani was a veteran of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war and was made deputy chief commander in 2005.

Kirby noted that Russia’s current actions in Syria are “largely reactive” to worldwide pressure against Assad.

Previously, at least 40 civilians were killed on the first day of the Russian airstrikes last week. The precise cause of his death was not given.

The Syrian war has drawn in armed forces from world and regional powers. But its planes have also hit other rebel groups opposed to Assad, Moscow’s longtime ally, including groups backed by Washington.

U.S. Navy Captain Jeff Davis earlier said a US aircraft had to be rerouted to avoid a Russian fighter jet in Syria.

“I have appealed and continue to appeal for recording on the “Mirotvorets” (‘Peacekeeper’) website the crimes of terrorist Putin and his henchmen against the Ukrainian and Syrian people, and against others on whose blood Putin is trying in vain to build a new evil empire”, Gerashchenko said.