It didn’t provide any further details.
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German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said Russia must recognize that if it targets opposition groups in Syria that are fighting Islamic State, “Russia will strengthen IS, and this can be neither in the Russian interest, nor in our interest”.
Kirby wouldn’t discuss reports of Russian cruise missiles landing in Iran, but said such evidence would only reinforce the need for the US, Russia and others to “deconflict” their various military efforts in Syria.
The Russian Defence Ministry posted a graphic on its website showing 26 missiles overflying Iran and Iraq before striking inside Syria. “They started (the armed opposition) and taught Daesh and Nusra all these crimes committed against Syria now”.
The Obama administration is grappling with a dramatic change in the four-year-old Syrian civil war brought about by Moscow’s intervention in support of President Bashar al-Assad.
“They have initiated a joint ground offensive with the Syrian regime, shattering the facade that they’re there to fight ISIL”, Carter said, using an acronym for Islamic State. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the advance by the extremists, which began Thursday night, is the most significant in months.
The group also seized a former army base known as the Infantry Academy that rebels captured from the Syrian army two years ago.
“This was the first operational test of these in operational conditions”, one official said of the Russian Kalibr missiles that were used.
Syria’s conflict, which began as an uprising against Assad in March 2011 but became a full-blown civil war after a fierce government crackdown, has killed 250,000 people, according to United Nations figures.
The Russian government said it launched 26 cruise missiles, hitting targets in the Syrian provinces in the north and northwest.
“However unpleasant and “unexpected” it may be for our colleagues at the Pentagon and Langley (CIA’s Virginia headquarters) about yesterday’s attacks by high-accuracy weapons on the (Islamic State) infrastructure in Syria – all the same, all rockets fired from ships found their targets”, said a ministry spokesman, Maj.
Moscow says it is targeting mainly Islamic State militants, but USA officials and Syrian rebels have said the strikes have hit mainstream rebels for the most part and are aimed at shoring up Assad’s embattled government and troops. An earlier report by Fars on Wednesday quoted Iraj Saghafi, acting governor of Takab in northwestern Iran, saying an explosion heard in the region was “possibly related to work in a nearby rock quarry”. Syria’s rebels are mostly Sunni.
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“Instead of engaging in political transition in Syria, which is needed in this long-suffering country, Russian Federation has chosen to double down on its long-standing relationship with [Syrian President Bashar] Assad, committing additional capabilities and personnel”, Carter said.
