Moscow wanted to protect its national interests and to prevent militant extremists getting to Russia, Medvedev said.
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The differences between the stakeholders in a Syria settlement highlighted their lingering divisions despite Friday’s “cessation of hostilities” agreement, which was not signed by any of the warring parties on the ground – government forces and the opposition.
Some Syrian cities have been cut off from humanitarian aid for more than a year because of fighting.
He explained that the International Syria Support Group had scaled back its goals, deliberately avoiding a formal ceasefire that has tougher, legally binding requirements.
The offensive means government troops are now closer to cutting off one of the main supply routes for Syrian rebels, who still control much of Aleppo city.
“To date, the vast majority of Russia’s attacks have been against legitimate opposition groups“, Kerry said at the Munich Security Conference, an annual event that attracts leaders from across the world and where policymakers often clash openly on stage. She’s written a book about U.S.-Russia relations called “The Limits Of Partnership”. But he complained that coordination hasn’t gone beyond an agreement to avoid in-air accidents. John McCain sharply criticized the deal to seek a temporary truce in Syria, arguing Sunday that Russian Federation is engaging in “diplomacy in the service of military aggression”.
Russian Federation has rejected accusations that it’s been bombing civilians in Syria.
The US claimed that Russian airstrikes targeted against oppositions in Syria instead of terrorists. “In fact, when one group stops fighting, while the other begins to build on its military success, this is the most unsafe situation”.
Mr Kerry again accused Russian Federation of using so-called “dumb bombs” in Syria that do not hit precise targets. Islamic State isn’t central to that area of the Syrian conflict, and the US has signaled it doesn’t favor an escalation in military support for the rebels, even as they suffer a string of defeats.
Aaron Stein, a resident fellow at the Atlantic Council, also agreed that the deal will not take long to collapse but according to him the cessation of hostilities was indeed crafted in a way to “allow humanitarian aid access to besieged areas” rather than a halt in the war.
It remains unclear whether fighters in Syria will adhere to a truce.
The UN mediated Syrian peace talks in Geneva were abruptly suspended; it was stated that there was more work to be done by the big powers sponsoring the talks between the Syrian sides.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the artillery strikes are targeting the village of Malkiyeh and the Mannagh air base, which was captured by Kurdish fighters and their allies earlier this week.
A woman walks through rubble after airstrikes by pro-Syrian government forces in the rebel held town of Dael in Deraa, Syria on Feb.12, 2016. About 470,000 people have been killed and 1.9 million injured since the crisis began in March 2011. Neighboring Turkey is hosting at least 2.5 million refugees from Syria.
Saudi Arabia and Turkey have announced they are considering sending ground troops to Syria.
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“Turkey and Saudi Arabia may launch an operation [against IS] from the land”, Turkey’s pro-government Yeni Safak newspaper quoted Cavusoglu as saying on February 13. So the US plan B could be to get more involved on the ground and create safe zones for civilians. U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Friday he expected Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to send commandos to help recapture Raqqa.
