Russian politicians have said the Paris attack underscores the need for the West and the Kremlin to bury their differences and join forces to take on militants in Syria.
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France dismissed Russian suggestions on Friday its air strikes against oil installations in Syria were illegal, saying they were “an appropriate and necessary riposte” to attacks by Islamic State.
Russian Federation had initially drawn vital criticism from the global community when it started its bombing marketing crusade in Syria in September, with many suggesting the strikes have been aimed toward supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and never helping the Syrian people.
Deir al-Zor province links Islamic State’s de facto capital in Raqqa with territory controlled by the group in Iraq. Turkish officials have said a major joint air operation against IS with the United States was planned, with Turkmen forces fighting on the ground.
“But for now that is not enough to cleanse Syria of rebels and terrorists and to protect Russians from possible terrorist attacks”, he said.
French President Francois Hollande will visit Washington and Moscow next week for talks on pooling USA, Russian and French efforts against IS. The U.S.-led coalition does not coordinate with Damascus however.
“A total of 826 enemy targets were destroyed”, Shoigu added.
Targeting trucks is a “new element” of the war against the extremists and “a good strategy”, Marcel said.
An investigation by British newspaper The Financial Times last month estimated the militants reap a few $1.5 million a day from oil, based on the price of $45 a barrel.
Col Patrick Ryder, a spokesman for US Central Command, said the Russian air strikes in recent days targeted more IS areas, including the group’s oil infrastructure. Russian Federation went after numerous Islamic State positions, as did French warplanes.
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“We’ll level everything there”, Frants Klintsevich, deputy head of the Defense Committee in Russia’s upper house of parliament, said in an interview on Thursday. “We’ll get them no matter where they hide around the globe”.
