But a Russian defense official said the talks should be much broader than what the Pentagon is seeking. “I think the upcoming few days or weeks Iraq will be forced to ask Russian Federation to launch air strikes and that depends on their success in Syria”, said Hakim Al Zamili.
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“During my last visit to Paris, French President Hollande expressed an interesting idea according to which, in his opinion, it might be possible to at least try to unite the efforts of the government troops of president Assad’s army and the so-called Free Syrian Army”, Putin said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media. Moscow also has a naval base in the Syrian coastal city of Tartus.
“In addition to the air force, four warships of the Caspian flotilla have been involved”, Mr Shoigu said, adding that the warships had carried out 26 cruise missile strikes against 11 targets. Shoigu insisted the operation destroyed all the targets and did not launch any strikes upon civilian areas.
A military spokesman told Russian news wires that the strikes from the warships had hit positions of IS and Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front. The missiles flew nearly 1,610 kilometres before striking targets in Syria, he said.
Reports have been circulating of a new Syrian military ground push aided by Russian airstrikes. The Kremlin says it has not received any official request from Baghdad for Russian help. Iran has been bolstering Assad by sending weapons and advisers, and helping arrange the deployment of Shiite fighters from Iraq and Hezbollah, as well as sending financial aid. Meanwhile, a Syrian official said a ground offensive has been launched in central regions of the country amid intense shelling and Russian air strikes. The other 20 kilometers were under the control of other rebel groups.
Two low-flying helicopters were seen in Morek but escaped militant fire, the Observatory said. Assad’s air force has Russian-made helicopters. The official said the incident would not be considered an intercept.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter, in his strongest message to date, said Wednesday the U.S.-led coalition will not agree to cooperate with Russian Federation in the fight against the Islamic State and no collaboration is possible as long as Moscow continues to strike other targets.
He said the US will conduct basic, technical talks with Russian Federation about efforts to ensure that flights over Syria are conducted safely and, “That’s it”.
The United States, Carter said, is not prepared to cooperate with a strategy of Russia’s that is “tragically flawed”. “We believe that is a fundamental mistake”.
Since September 2014, the coalition has been hitting Islamic State positions mostly in northern and eastern parts of Syria, as well as in Iraq.
The Pentagon wants talks aimed at making sure there are no conflicts, collisions or other problems as the US-led coalition and the Russians fly over Syria. The spokesman said technical details were being discussed by Russian and Pentagon officials on Wednesday.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said only two of 57 Russian strikes in Syria so far had hit Daesh, while the rest had been against the moderate opposition, the only forces fighting the hard-line insurgents in northwestern Syria. North Atlantic Treaty Organisation on Monday denounced Russian Federation for “irresponsible behavior” for allowing its warplanes to cross into Turkey. Turkey scrambled F-16s in response and also summoned the Russian ambassador to lodge protests.
USA and Russian officials met once by video conference late last week, before the Russian incursion into Turkish airspace.
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Vasilyeva reported from Moscow.
