Russian Federation says it is “ready to establish contacts” with Syria’s main Western-backed moderate opposition group, the Free Syrian Army (FSA), to find a political solution to the war.
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Shoigu said the Russian air force has attacked a total of 112 targets, destroying 19 command posts, 12 ammunition depots, 71 armored vehicles as well as factories and workshops producing various explosives, including devices used in auto bombs since Russia started its anti-terrorist airstrikes in Syria on September 30. But the Saudi religious leaders also have denounced the Islamic State and al Qaeda and said that Saudi citizens must not go overseas to fight or give the rebels money except through government channels.
The assault mirrors the USA strategy in northern Syria, where coalition planes bombed Islamic State positions to pave the way for their allies on the ground to advance against the militants. Shoigu insisted the operation destroyed all the targets and did not launch any strikes upon civilian areas. The Syrian military has Russian-made helicopters in its air force.
Maj. Jamil al-Saleh said the offensive, accompanied by air cover and shelling, came from three fronts, including Latamneh, north of Hama province where his group is based, and Kfar Zeita to the north. The offensive targeted the rural areas of Hama and Idlib that are nearly totally controlled by rebel groups, he said.
He said the USA will limit its discussions with Russian Federation to basic, technical talks about efforts to ensure that flights over Syria are conducted safely and, “That’s it”.
USA airstrikes have been key in pushing back IS on several fronts in Iraq and Syria, often in coordination with the Iraqi military or Kurdish fighters on the ground.
Their support did not prevent rebels – a few of them backed by Assad’s regional foes – from reducing Assad’s control of Syria to around one fifth of its territory in a four-year-long war estimated to have killed 250,000 people. “We hope that they will tell us about the targets they know”, said Shoigu, who urged establishment of a systemic cooperation mechanism, since “without the support of each other, we are unlikely to solve this problem”, the minister said.
At the time, Russia’s deputy foreign ministry spokesman said he has “no information whatsoever” that Soleimani visited Russian Federation, which would be a violation of United Nations travel sanctions against the general. Turkey scrambled F-16s in response and also summoned the Russian ambassador to lodge protests.
He noted that further actions of Russian military would be synchronized with those of the Syrian army on the ground.
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Russia’s entry into the crowded and sometimes uncoordinated air wars in Syria is making the USA increasingly nervous, reflecting concern at the Pentagon and in Europe about the risk of accidents or unintended conflict.
