Putin also ridiculed a new US attempt to arm anti-government rebels by airdropping munitions to them.
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Russia’s decision to get involved in the four year conflict has caught the United States by surprise.
“We are not striving for a few sort of leadership on Syria”, he said at Tuesday’s forum. Russia’s Interfax news agency, citing Russian military officials, said the talks would be held via video conference.
The head of al-Qaeda’s offshoot in Syria has called on followers to carry out attacks in Russia following Moscow’s airstrikes in the country, raising the spectre of blowback on Russian soil for its military intervention to aid Syria’s embattled government.
“If the Russian army kills the people of Syria, then kill their people”, he said. “And if they kill from our soldiers, kill from theirs”.
Calling on “Islamic youth everywhere, ignite jihad against the Russians and the Americans in their crusaders’ war against Muslims”, ISIS spokesperson Abu Mohamed al-Adnani said in a 40-minute-long audio message posted online.
With Russian air support, the Syrian Army has recently made major territorial gains including capturing towns in Latakia province which will put more rebel positions within range of the army’s artillery.
The Observatory’s director Rami Abdulrahman identified most of the reinforcing fighters as members of jihadist groups.
Jolani urged armed opposition groups to shelve their differences until both air campaigns had been defeated.
“These rockets have played an important role in stopping the fierce attack by the Syrian regime and its Russian ally”, said Asaad Hanna, spokesman for the non-Islamist Division 101. Kremlin claimed that the campaign, a result of Syrian President Bashar Assad seeking military help from Russian Federation, would target ISIS militants. “An eye for an eye”, Jolani said in the recording.
“How long must Muslims delay their rights and shed their blood for a man who loves his power?”
The jihadi leader promised to pay 3 million euros ($3.42 million) to whomever kills Assad and 2 million euros ($2.28 million) to whomever kills Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, whose men are fighting alongside Assad’s forces.
On September 21, just nine days before it began its air war in Syria, Moscow demanded “concrete action” after a shell hit the embassy’s compound in Damascus.
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The attack took place as hundreds of Syrians gathered in front of the embassy in Damascus to show support for the Russian airstrikes.
