Russian Federation has rejected USA claims that four of its missiles crashed into Iran rather than reaching intended targets in Syria.
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I can’t speak for all but any professional in this area knows that in carrying out such operations an image is always fixed before and after a strike.
Earlier on Friday, the deputy chief of staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Igor Makushev, reported that his country’s Air Force had successfully hit “60 terrorist targets” in Syria during the latest round of airstrikes.
The House and Senate Intelligence committees are reportedly concerned that spy agencies were slow to grasp the full scope of Russia’s plans for Syria, which began on September 30 with airstrikes backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces.
The announcement came one day after Russia’s Caspian Sea fleet launched cruise missile strikes against Syrian rebels from almost 1,000 miles away, a potent exhibition of Moscow’s firepower as it backs a government ground offensive.
A Russian ship apparently launched a few cruise missiles at targets in Syria but missed, and the missiles crashed in Iran, reports CNN.
The US has also reacted negatively to Russia’s military intervention in Syria, saying its actions there would likely exacerbate violence and extremism in the country.
The United States has acknowledged that US-led coalition aircraft bombing Islamist militants in Syria were re-routed at least once to avoid a close encounter with Russian planes.
US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter today deplored the fact that Russian warships fired the cruise missiles “without warning”.
“I call on Russian Federation to play a constructive role in the fight” against Islamic State, Stoltenberg told reporters.
“They continue to hit targets that are not ISIL”, Carter said, using an acronym for Islamic State.
Activist Ahmad al-Ahmad, who is in Idlib, said government troops “heavily” shelled central areas after rebels attacked an army post and destroyed a tank.
“And the ministers agreed that Russia’s military escalation in Syria raises serious concerns”.
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation said Thursday that it was prepared to send troops to Ankara to defend the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation member in response the airspace violations, a largely symbolic announcement that nonetheless underscored the regional repercussions of the ongoing Syrian conflict.
ISIL fighters advanced Friday on Syria’s second city Aleppo despite more than a week of Russian air strikes that Moscow says is aimed at routing the armed group.
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“Greater than 90 percent of the strikes that we’ve seen them take to date have not been against…al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorists”, US Department of State spokesman John Kirby said.
