Russian jets carried out a second day of strikes in Syria Thursday, and Sen.
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On Thursday, U.S. Senator John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, also said Russia’s initial air strikes in Syria targeted Free Syrian Army recruits.
“As for media reports claiming that the civilian population is suffering, we are prepared for such information attacks”. He added the terrorist group “cannot be defeated as long as Bashar al-Assad remains president of Syria.”
Trump acknowledged to CNN’s Don Lemon that Russian Federation may be attacking the opponents of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, but implied that the alternative might be worse, and that it would be good for Russian Federation to “knock the hell out of ISIS”.
The Russian defence ministry said it carried out about 20 flights over Syria, hitting eight Islamic State targets and destroying an Islamic State command post and an operations centre in a mountainous area, Russian agencies reported. Officials acknowledged, however, that other unidentified groups were being targeted as well.
According to Konashenkov, Wednesday’s airstrikes – which, he said, had been ordered directly by Russian President Vladimir Putin – had targeted Daesh munitions depots, vehicles and communications centers.
“Do not listen to the Pentagon about Russian strikes – ask the Russian Defense Ministry”, Lavrov told journalists at the United Nations late Wednesday, referring them to an official report issued in Moscow on the Russian air operations.
Russian Federation circulated a draft Security Council resolution that Putin has said would be “aimed at coordinating the actions of all forces that confront ISIL”.
Those will be focused on sharing the skies above Syria, but are also likely to discuss intended targets.
McDonald said he believes while both countries want to eliminate the threat of ISIS and other terrorist groups in the region.
“The only correct way to fight global terrorism…is to act preemptively, to battle and destroy fighters and terrorists on the territories they have already seized, not to wait for them to come to us“, Putin said in televised comments. The Syrian government considers all rebel groups terrorists.
In Moscow, the Russian Defence Ministry said Thursday its jets had mounted 12 strikes against Islamic State in Syria in the past 24 hours.
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FSA groups have been eclipsed in much of Syria by jihadists such as Islamic State and the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. Russia’s action on Wednesday was interpreted by the USA government as rebuking the talks.
