Relations between Russia and Turkey, already strained by the Syria crisis, have deteriorated badly since Turkey shot down a Russian warplane near the Syrian border in November.
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Any Turkish incursion would be a major escalation in a war that has already drawn in neighbouring, regional and global governments, and would risk direct confrontation between Russian Federation and a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation member.
The defense ministry, citing reconnaissance data, said Turkey had recently expanded a parking lot for heavy-duty trucks on the border as well two smaller parking lots in rebel-controlled Syria.
Mohammad Javad Zarif, foreign minister of Iran, called in London for the talks to resume and for an immediate ceasefire. The Islamic State is a terrorist organization banned in Russian Federation.
Meanwhile some 70 world leaders have gathered for a donor conference in London in an attempt to raise some $9 billion for those affected by the war in Syria.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Kerry agreed in phone talks Thursday to do everything possible to make the break in Syrian peace talks “as short as possible”.
Mr Cameron urged Russian Federation to use its influence with the Assad regime to end the “indiscriminate” attacks, particularly the use of barrel bombs against civilian targets.
Noting that the US-led coalition itself conducted at least 12 massive airstrikes in the provinces of Aleppo, Homs, Hasakah and Raqqa in the first three days of February alone, Konashenkov urged the coalition’s representatives to inform the public of their results in the same manner as Russian Federation.
“Foreign Minister Lavrov and I will talk again today or tomorrow as we further this process and find the way forward to be able to implement this resolution fully”.
Another rebel commander said: “They are promising to continue the support”. How it will crystallise, nobody knows…
Both spoke on condition of anonymity. “If we host millions of Syrians in our country, we have the right to ask this question and expect for an answer”.
Russia’s Novaya Gazeta wrote on Thursday that a military adviser died in a hospital in Syria on February 1 after sustaining serious wounds in a shelling of a Syrian army training centre in the province of Homs.
“They (Russian military servicemen) are not taking part in ground operations”, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“We recognise that it’s hard for the regime to be at the table, talking to the opposition”, he said.
Moscow says its air campaign has targeted the IS and other extremists and rejects claims by the USA and its allies that moderate opposition groups also have been hit by Russian strikes. “This is linked to teaching Syrian colleagues to operate equipment which is being delivered to Syria under existing contracts”.
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US Defence Secretary Ash Carter welcomed the Saudi offer.
