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Iran allows Russia to use base for Syria strikes

After the strikes, the planes went back to the base.

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The announcement demonstrates strong cooperation between Iran and Russian Federation in fight against terrorists in Syria.

Fighting for Aleppo, once Syria’s commercial capital and its largest city, has become the focal point of the nation’s civil war, now in its sixth year.

President Vladimir Putin said in March, “the main part” of Russian armed forces in Syria would start to withdraw, and instructed his diplomats to step up the push for peace as UN-mediated talks resumed in Geneva on ending the five-year war.

“Bombers can transport more bombs if their flight time is short”, he said.

Moscow and Tehran cooperation in Syria is “strategic”, confirmed the head of Iran’s National Security Council. Other Syrian accounts called it “an agreement by enemies – Russia’s announcement of deploying its fighter jets in Iran, only to bomb the Syrian people faster”.

A Twitter account affiliated with the Free Syrian Army posted images allegedly showing the Russian bomber deployed in Iran, claiming Moscow aimed “to exterminate the Syrian people by using the excuse of fighting terror”.

The Russian Defence Ministry says it takes great care to avoid civilian casualties in its air strikes.

Russian deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov was in Tehran on Monday, where he discussed the “high mutual interest” of deeper cooperation between Russia and Iran in the Middle East, the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

But rights groups have criticized both Russian Federation and the Syrian regime for repeated strikes on civilian targets, including homes, schools and hospitals.

A coalition of insurgent groups led by Syria’s rebranded al-Qaida branch launched an assault on government positions in Aleppo on Sunday.

Much of Idlib province including Saraqib is controlled by the former Jabhat al-Nusra group, which has renamed itself as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham after announcing a supposed spilt from al-Qaeda.

Air raids on two rebel-held districts of Aleppo Tuesday killed 19 civilians, including three children, activists said.

The watchdog said a review of photographs and videos showed incendiary weapons have been used at least 18 times between 5 June and 10 August.

After the sorties, the bombers returned to the base in Iran.

A report in December by the American Enterprise Institute, based off satellite imagery, suggests the air base saw a Russian Su-34 “Fullback” strike fighter land there in late November. Moscow’s alliance with Iran might also allow Russian Federation to make further inroads into both of those countries.

Russian Federation and Iran have expanded their cooperation in recent months after most global sanctions against Iran were lifted following the deal to prevent Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon.

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The Russian military operation in Syria was launched on 30 September 2015.

The aftermath of phosphorous bombs dropped on Aleppo