A fighter from the Free Syrian Army's al-Rahman legion walks towards his position on the frontline against the forces of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in Jobar, a suburb of Damascus, Syria July 27. BASSAM KHABIEH/REUTERS
Newsweek: Russia Says It Is Backing Free Syrian Army With Airstrikes and Supplies
Russia is backing the Free Syrian Army (FSA) with as many as 40 daily airstrikes and helping arm the group, Russian military chief of staff Valery Gerasimov told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti on Monday.
Russia began airstrikes on ground targets in Syria during the last week of September and has claimed they are intended to target the militant Islamist group Islamic State (ISIS), though even those within the government can’t seem to come to a consensus on that claim. State officials continue to refer to the airstrikes as targeting ISIS, but the Kremlin has made clear that ISIS is only one in a list of groups being targeted.
The Kremlin has not elaborated on which other groups are on the list, but a Reuters analysis of Russian airstrikes in October showed that almost 80 percent of those airstrikes had not hit areas held by ISIS but instead held by opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Update #1: Russia delivers up to 40 airstrikes daily to help Free Syrian Army fight terrorists - General Staff -- RT
Update #2: Kremlin confirms Russia supports Free Syrian Army forces in their offensive against IS -- TASS
WNU Editor: This is another case where news reports are contradicting each other. It was only a few days ago that the Russian President's press spokesman was denying reports that Russia was assisting "moderate rebels" in Syria .... Peskov: Russia not giving arms to Syrian rebels (AP). The Free Syrian Army is also claiming that Russia is not assisting them .... Free Syrian Army rebels deny Russian support (Reuters). But other Free Syrian Army commanders are saying that they are willing to work with Russia .... Free Syrian Army Ready to Provide Russia with Data on Terrorist Targets (Sputnik). But there is one news item where I am sure is 100% correct (unfortunately) .... Russia Digging In for Long Haul in Syria (Defense News).
1 comment:
The Russian federation is not going to have conflicts of interest because doesn't have one.
Russia clearly is on the Sirian government side . Since 2001 they had a lot of time to think what it would be the next move.first the war in Afghanistan then the war in Iraq the rise of the Arab spring,Livia civil war, destabilization of North Africa and Ukrainian civil war ,and the Sirian conflict. That through the view of Russia it has been orchestrated by NATO is very unlikely that Russia will help Sirian rebel forces when this fighters shoot Russian pilots in mid air.that was a violation to the Geneva convention .
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