Russia has proposed to the USA -led coalition operating in Syria that they conduct joint airstrikes against rebels in Syria who are not party to the negotiated cease-fire, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Friday.
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A shaky Russia-U.S. -brokered cease-fire, which began in late February, is barely holding together and is not being honored by groups that include al-Nusra Front and the IS, also known as ISIS, ISIL and Daesh.
Warren said Russian forces appeared to have established some sort of forward operating base near Palmyra, an ancient city whose Roman ruins were largely destroyed by Islamic State jihadists during the 10 months they held the town. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters.
The Pentagon said it had not been formally notified of the proposal by the Russian Defense Ministry and stressed that it was not collaborating with Russia.
Shoigu said the Russian proposal should help secure the cease-fire, adding that Moscow has coordinated it with Damascus. Attacks on government forces and rebel groups, which pledged to observe the truce, happen on regular basis in the country, and on some occasions provoke violent responses from those attacked.
“What we are discussing with our Russian counterparts – in keeping with the ISSG communique last week in Vienna – are proposals for a sustainable mechanism to better monitor and enforce the cessation of hostilities”, State Department spokesman John Kirby said Friday.
Saying that Russian Federation reserves the right as of May 25 to carry out “unilateral airstrikes” against groups that fail to abide by the ceasefire, Shoigu said they got approval from the Bashar al-Assad regime for the proposal. Russia’s alliance with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has strained relations with the United States and its allies, who have insisted that the removal of Assad is a key component to ending the Syrian conflict.
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Russian Federation has been Damascus’ principle ally, providing diplomatic protections at the U.N. Security Council and military assistance that has included training, aerial raids and supplying military equipment.
