Russia joins combat in Syria
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Sep. 18, 2015
Satellite images purport to show build-up of Russian military hardware in Syria - watch on - uatoday.tv
Syrian foreign minister rejects claims that Russian troops are in his country
On the streets of Aleppo, deadly clashes between Syrian government forces and insurgents. It was Syria's most populated city before the civil war erupted in 2011.
Now reduced to rubble in many areas, it has been carved up between government forces and various insurgent groups.
Behind the scenes, an apparent build-up up of Russian military hardware for the forces of President Bashar al-Assad. Satellite imagery provided by Geopolitical Intelligence and Advisory Firm Stratfor purports to show artillery and attack helicopter support at Bassel al Assad air base in Latakia.
A Syrian military source has told Reuters that Syrian government forces recently started using new types of air and ground weapons supplied by Russia, underlining growing Russian support to Damascus that is alarming the United States.
In Moscow, they say military support for Damascus is aimed at fighting terrorism and safeguarding Syria's statehood.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova: "We are trying to prevent a total catastrophe in the region. Unfortunately we have examples of the situation in Libya and in other neighbouring countries. We understand that if the situation in Syria develops according to the same scenario - it would be a total catastrophe."
The US hit back, saying support for the Assad regime is a dead end and what's needed in Syria is a new government which represents the will of the people. But like Moscow, Washington says its open to dialogue.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest: "We would warn them against doubling down on their support for the Assad regime. That's a losing bet. It's a losing bet for Russia. It's a losing bet for Syria and it is a losing bet for our efforts to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL. But, we do have some of the concerns that you just described. And, that's why, you know, we will remain open to what I would describe as tactical, practical discussions with the Russians."
Meanwhile, amid mounting international tensions, Syria's foreign minister came out to say there are no Russian trooops in his country, but added that Syria will request them, if the need arises.
Photo - Stratfor/Airbus
Satellite images purport to show build-up of Russian military hardware in Syria - watch on - uatoday.tv
Syrian foreign minister rejects claims that Russian troops are in his country
On the streets of Aleppo, deadly clashes between Syrian government forces and insurgents. It was Syria's most populated city before the civil war erupted in 2011.
Now reduced to rubble in many areas, it has been carved up between government forces and various insurgent groups.
Behind the scenes, an apparent build-up up of Russian military hardware for the forces of President Bashar al-Assad. Satellite imagery provided by Geopolitical Intelligence and Advisory Firm Stratfor purports to show artillery and attack helicopter support at Bassel al Assad air base in Latakia.
A Syrian military source has told Reuters that Syrian government forces recently started using new types of air and ground weapons supplied by Russia, underlining growing Russian support to Damascus that is alarming the United States.
In Moscow, they say military support for Damascus is aimed at fighting terrorism and safeguarding Syria's statehood.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova: "We are trying to prevent a total catastrophe in the region. Unfortunately we have examples of the situation in Libya and in other neighbouring countries. We understand that if the situation in Syria develops according to the same scenario - it would be a total catastrophe."
The US hit back, saying support for the Assad regime is a dead end and what's needed in Syria is a new government which represents the will of the people. But like Moscow, Washington says its open to dialogue.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest: "We would warn them against doubling down on their support for the Assad regime. That's a losing bet. It's a losing bet for Russia. It's a losing bet for Syria and it is a losing bet for our efforts to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL. But, we do have some of the concerns that you just described. And, that's why, you know, we will remain open to what I would describe as tactical, practical discussions with the Russians."
Meanwhile, amid mounting international tensions, Syria's foreign minister came out to say there are no Russian trooops in his country, but added that Syria will request them, if the need arises.
Photo - Stratfor/Airbus
Hindustani78
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Russia sends jets to Syria, resumes US military talks: Officials | Zee News
Last Updated: Saturday, September 19, 2015 - 00:37
Washington: Russia has sent fighter jets to Syria, U.S. officials said, raising the stakes in a military buildup that has put Washington on edge and led Friday to the first talks between U.S. and Russian defence chiefs in over a year.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter, eyeing the possibility of rival U.S. and Russian air operations in Syria`s limited airspace, agreed in a call with his Russian counterpart to explore ways to avoid accidental military interactions.
The coordination necessary to avoid such encounters is known in military parlance as "deconfliction."
"They agreed to further discuss mechanisms for deconfliction in Syria and the counter-ISIL campaign," Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said after the call, referring to the campaign by the U.S. and its allies against Islamic State militants.
The former Cold War foes have a common adversary in Islamic State militants in Syria, even as Washington opposes Moscow`s support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, seeing him as a driver in the nation`s devastating, four-and-a-half-year civil war.
A senior U.S. defence official, recounting details of the conversation, said Russia`s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had described Moscow`s activities in Syria as defensive in nature.
Shoigu said Russia`s military moves "were designed to honour commitments made to the Syrian government," the U.S. official said.
It was unclear, however, what those commitments to Syria are or how Russia`s military buildup was relevant to them.
Russia`s latest deployment has added significant airpower to a buildup that, according to U.S. estimates, also includes helicopter gunships, artillery and as many 500 Russian naval infantry forces at an airfield near Latakia.
One U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said four tactical Russian fighter jets were sent to Syria. Another U.S. official declined to offer a number but confirmed the presence of multiple jets.
In London, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States was looking to find "common ground" with Russia.
Kerry said it was important to forge a political agreement in Syria and end the hardship of Syrian people.
"Everybody is seized by the urgency. We have been all along but the migration levels and continued destruction, the danger of potential augmentation by any unilateral moves puts a high premium on diplomacy at this moment," he said.
Carter told Shoigu that future consultations would run in parallel "with diplomatic talks that would ensure a political transition in Syria," Cook said.
"He noted that defeating (Islamic State militants) and ensuring a political transition are objectives that need to be pursued at the same time," he said.
The last time a U.S. defence chief spoke with Shoigu was in August 2014, the Pentagon said, saying high-level communications were halted following Russia`s annexation of Crimea and its intervention in Ukraine.
Kiev and the West accuse Moscow of driving a pro-Russian separatist rebellion in east Ukraine, which started shortly after the Crimea annexation. Russia denies this.
Reuters
But no one can deny this that the refugee crisis in Europe is because of the Russian Federation policy .
Last Updated: Saturday, September 19, 2015 - 00:37
Washington: Russia has sent fighter jets to Syria, U.S. officials said, raising the stakes in a military buildup that has put Washington on edge and led Friday to the first talks between U.S. and Russian defence chiefs in over a year.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter, eyeing the possibility of rival U.S. and Russian air operations in Syria`s limited airspace, agreed in a call with his Russian counterpart to explore ways to avoid accidental military interactions.
The coordination necessary to avoid such encounters is known in military parlance as "deconfliction."
"They agreed to further discuss mechanisms for deconfliction in Syria and the counter-ISIL campaign," Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said after the call, referring to the campaign by the U.S. and its allies against Islamic State militants.
The former Cold War foes have a common adversary in Islamic State militants in Syria, even as Washington opposes Moscow`s support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, seeing him as a driver in the nation`s devastating, four-and-a-half-year civil war.
A senior U.S. defence official, recounting details of the conversation, said Russia`s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had described Moscow`s activities in Syria as defensive in nature.
Shoigu said Russia`s military moves "were designed to honour commitments made to the Syrian government," the U.S. official said.
It was unclear, however, what those commitments to Syria are or how Russia`s military buildup was relevant to them.
Russia`s latest deployment has added significant airpower to a buildup that, according to U.S. estimates, also includes helicopter gunships, artillery and as many 500 Russian naval infantry forces at an airfield near Latakia.
One U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said four tactical Russian fighter jets were sent to Syria. Another U.S. official declined to offer a number but confirmed the presence of multiple jets.
In London, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States was looking to find "common ground" with Russia.
Kerry said it was important to forge a political agreement in Syria and end the hardship of Syrian people.
"Everybody is seized by the urgency. We have been all along but the migration levels and continued destruction, the danger of potential augmentation by any unilateral moves puts a high premium on diplomacy at this moment," he said.
Carter told Shoigu that future consultations would run in parallel "with diplomatic talks that would ensure a political transition in Syria," Cook said.
"He noted that defeating (Islamic State militants) and ensuring a political transition are objectives that need to be pursued at the same time," he said.
The last time a U.S. defence chief spoke with Shoigu was in August 2014, the Pentagon said, saying high-level communications were halted following Russia`s annexation of Crimea and its intervention in Ukraine.
Kiev and the West accuse Moscow of driving a pro-Russian separatist rebellion in east Ukraine, which started shortly after the Crimea annexation. Russia denies this.
Reuters
But no one can deny this that the refugee crisis in Europe is because of the Russian Federation policy .
ultron
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Hindustani78
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But EU will gain from the refugees as the funds will be released for the refugees settlement and it will improve the economy of EU.
Hindustani78
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Kerry: Russian fighter jets in Syria raise serious questions
By Ken Dilanian, The Associated Press 11 a.m. EDT September 19, 2015
LONDON — The United States is disturbed by Russia's movement of tactical aircraft to Syria, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday, acknowledging that the jets could pose a threat to American and allied military forces.
U.S. officials say Russia moved a small number of fighter jets to a base in Syria on Friday, hours after U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter talked with Russia Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in the first military contacts between the two countries in some time.
"Clearly, the presence of aircraft with air-to-air combat capacity ... and surface-to-air missiles raises serious questions," Kerry said, responding to a question after meeting with British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond. The Russians have deployed at least one such system, according to an American official, who was not authorized to discuss military matters and spoke on condition of anonymity.
This September 2015 satellite image with annotations provided by GeoNorth, AllSource Analysis, Airbus shows Russian transport aircraft, helicopters, tanks, trucks and armed personnel carriers at an air base in Latakia province, Syria. (Photo: GeoNorth, AllSource Analysis, Airbus via AP)
Russia says its recent military buildup in Syria is designed to fight the Islamic State group. While IS lacks an air force, the Russian aircraft are capable of striking ground targets and providing close air support for ground forces, according to a U.S. intelligence official who was not authorized to discuss military matters and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Russia's military moves in Syria are its first major expeditionary force deployment outside the former Soviet Union since the war in Afghanistan, the official said.
Kerry said the military-to-military talks with the Russians are designed to make sure there are no incidents between Russian and American forces. The discussions also amount to a tacit acceptance of the Russian buildup, after weeks of warnings from Washington against any Russian escalation in Syria.
In another apparent concession, Kerry stated explicitly that the U.S. could accept a resolution to the Syrian war that allowed President Bashar Assad to remain in place for a time before departing, as the U.S. long has wanted.
"We're not being doctrinaire about the specific date or time — we're open," Kerry said, adding that Assad doesn't have to leave "on day one, or month one, or whatever."
He later added that the U.S. considered Assad a magnet for the foreign fighters who are filling the Islamic State group's ranks.
"So there's a lack of logic," Kerry said, for the Russians to say "they are bringing in more equipment to shore up Assad at the same time they say they are going after" the militants.
Meantime, a Syrian rebel group claims it fired rockets at a coastal air base said to be used by Russian troops. In a video posted Friday, members of the Islam Army warn the Russians that they will not enjoy peace in Syria. The fighters are then are seen loading and launching multiple rockets from a mountainous area.
Kerry and Hammond said they also discussed the situations in Yemen, Libya and Ukraine. Kerry also urged restraint in response to days of clashes around the Jerusalem holy site known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount.
"All of us join together in urging everybody to keep the calm," Kerry said.
By Ken Dilanian, The Associated Press 11 a.m. EDT September 19, 2015
LONDON — The United States is disturbed by Russia's movement of tactical aircraft to Syria, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday, acknowledging that the jets could pose a threat to American and allied military forces.
U.S. officials say Russia moved a small number of fighter jets to a base in Syria on Friday, hours after U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter talked with Russia Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in the first military contacts between the two countries in some time.
"Clearly, the presence of aircraft with air-to-air combat capacity ... and surface-to-air missiles raises serious questions," Kerry said, responding to a question after meeting with British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond. The Russians have deployed at least one such system, according to an American official, who was not authorized to discuss military matters and spoke on condition of anonymity.
This September 2015 satellite image with annotations provided by GeoNorth, AllSource Analysis, Airbus shows Russian transport aircraft, helicopters, tanks, trucks and armed personnel carriers at an air base in Latakia province, Syria. (Photo: GeoNorth, AllSource Analysis, Airbus via AP)
Russia says its recent military buildup in Syria is designed to fight the Islamic State group. While IS lacks an air force, the Russian aircraft are capable of striking ground targets and providing close air support for ground forces, according to a U.S. intelligence official who was not authorized to discuss military matters and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Russia's military moves in Syria are its first major expeditionary force deployment outside the former Soviet Union since the war in Afghanistan, the official said.
Kerry said the military-to-military talks with the Russians are designed to make sure there are no incidents between Russian and American forces. The discussions also amount to a tacit acceptance of the Russian buildup, after weeks of warnings from Washington against any Russian escalation in Syria.
In another apparent concession, Kerry stated explicitly that the U.S. could accept a resolution to the Syrian war that allowed President Bashar Assad to remain in place for a time before departing, as the U.S. long has wanted.
"We're not being doctrinaire about the specific date or time — we're open," Kerry said, adding that Assad doesn't have to leave "on day one, or month one, or whatever."
He later added that the U.S. considered Assad a magnet for the foreign fighters who are filling the Islamic State group's ranks.
"So there's a lack of logic," Kerry said, for the Russians to say "they are bringing in more equipment to shore up Assad at the same time they say they are going after" the militants.
Meantime, a Syrian rebel group claims it fired rockets at a coastal air base said to be used by Russian troops. In a video posted Friday, members of the Islam Army warn the Russians that they will not enjoy peace in Syria. The fighters are then are seen loading and launching multiple rockets from a mountainous area.
Kerry and Hammond said they also discussed the situations in Yemen, Libya and Ukraine. Kerry also urged restraint in response to days of clashes around the Jerusalem holy site known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount.
"All of us join together in urging everybody to keep the calm," Kerry said.
bdslph
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Kerry: Russian fighter jets in Syria raise serious questions
By Ken Dilanian, The Associated Press 11 a.m. EDT September 19, 2015
LONDON — The United States is disturbed by Russia's movement of tactical aircraft to Syria, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday, acknowledging that the jets could pose a threat to American and allied military forces.
U.S. officials say Russia moved a small number of fighter jets to a base in Syria on Friday, hours after U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter talked with Russia Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in the first military contacts between the two countries in some time.
"Clearly, the presence of aircraft with air-to-air combat capacity ... and surface-to-air missiles raises serious questions," Kerry said, responding to a question after meeting with British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond. The Russians have deployed at least one such system, according to an American official, who was not authorized to discuss military matters and spoke on condition of anonymity.
This September 2015 satellite image with annotations provided by GeoNorth, AllSource Analysis, Airbus shows Russian transport aircraft, helicopters, tanks, trucks and armed personnel carriers at an air base in Latakia province, Syria. (Photo: GeoNorth, AllSource Analysis, Airbus via AP)
Russia says its recent military buildup in Syria is designed to fight the Islamic State group. While IS lacks an air force, the Russian aircraft are capable of striking ground targets and providing close air support for ground forces, according to a U.S. intelligence official who was not authorized to discuss military matters and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Russia's military moves in Syria are its first major expeditionary force deployment outside the former Soviet Union since the war in Afghanistan, the official said.
Kerry said the military-to-military talks with the Russians are designed to make sure there are no incidents between Russian and American forces. The discussions also amount to a tacit acceptance of the Russian buildup, after weeks of warnings from Washington against any Russian escalation in Syria.
In another apparent concession, Kerry stated explicitly that the U.S. could accept a resolution to the Syrian war that allowed President Bashar Assad to remain in place for a time before departing, as the U.S. long has wanted.
"We're not being doctrinaire about the specific date or time — we're open," Kerry said, adding that Assad doesn't have to leave "on day one, or month one, or whatever."
He later added that the U.S. considered Assad a magnet for the foreign fighters who are filling the Islamic State group's ranks.
"So there's a lack of logic," Kerry said, for the Russians to say "they are bringing in more equipment to shore up Assad at the same time they say they are going after" the militants.
Meantime, a Syrian rebel group claims it fired rockets at a coastal air base said to be used by Russian troops. In a video posted Friday, members of the Islam Army warn the Russians that they will not enjoy peace in Syria. The fighters are then are seen loading and launching multiple rockets from a mountainous area.
Kerry and Hammond said they also discussed the situations in Yemen, Libya and Ukraine. Kerry also urged restraint in response to days of clashes around the Jerusalem holy site known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount.
"All of us join together in urging everybody to keep the calm," Kerry said.
wish they release all the weapons list
mike2000 is back
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LMAO.....Russia is a peace loving Nation.
lool
. Are you joking or you are serious bro? 
Ceylal
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I guess, the area gave you a lasting nightmare....The bear is there to stay...
England is?LMAO.....Russia is a peace loving Nation.
Putin's Syria play is a game-changer — which means the West needs to rethink everything
- Satellite imagery of Latakia’s Al-Assad Airport from September 4, 2015, reveals increased construction, possibly in preparation for Russian troop and equipment arrivals.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is seeking ways to support the Assad regime, to thwart a possible buffer zone established by the United States and Turkey, and to embarrass the United States by positioning Russia as the leader of a new international anti-ISIS coalition.
AFP/Reuters/Amanda Macias/Business InsiderAssad & Putin
Russian mobilization may protect the Assad regime from rapid collapse, but it may also cause greater radicalization among the Syrian opposition.
The Russian deployment to Syria is game-changing.
It will alter the nature of international negotiations, compromise and weaken the cohesion and efforts of the U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition, strengthen the Assad regime, and initiate direct Russo-Iranian military operations (suggesting the creation of a de facto Russo-Iranian military coalition, at least in Syria) for the first time.
The U.S. and its partners must fundamentally reassess their approach to the Syrian conflict in light of this critical inflection.
Hindustani78
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Exclusive: Russia sends drone aircraft on surveillance missions in Syria - U.S. officials| Reuters
Mon Sep 21, 2015 9:52am EDT
Russia has started flying drone aircraft on surveillance missions in Syria, two U.S. officials said on Monday, in what appeared to be Moscow's first military air operations inside the country since staging a rapid buildup at a Syrian air base.
The U.S. officials, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, could not immediately say how many Russian drones were involved in the surveillance missions or the scope of the flights.
The Pentagon declined to comment.
The start of Russian drone flights underscored the risks of U.S.-led coalition aircraft and Russian flights operating in Syria's limited airspace.
U.S. and Russian defense chiefs agreed on Friday to explore ways to avoid accidental interactions, also known as "deconfliction" in military parlance.
The discussions may gain added urgency, now that Moscow has started drone flights.
The former Cold War foes have a common adversary in Islamic State militants in Syria, even as Washington opposes Moscow's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, seeing him as a driving force in the nation's devastating, four-and-a-half-year civil war.
But Russia may also want to target opposition fighters that the United States supports in Syria, seeing them as equal threats to Assad.
Russia's drone operations appeared to be staged out of an air base near Latakia, where it has moved heavy military equipment, including fighter jets, helicopter gunships and naval infantry forces in recent days, U.S. officials said.
(Reporting by Phil Stewart; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Jeffrey Benkoe)
Mon Sep 21, 2015 9:52am EDT
Russia has started flying drone aircraft on surveillance missions in Syria, two U.S. officials said on Monday, in what appeared to be Moscow's first military air operations inside the country since staging a rapid buildup at a Syrian air base.
The U.S. officials, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, could not immediately say how many Russian drones were involved in the surveillance missions or the scope of the flights.
The Pentagon declined to comment.
The start of Russian drone flights underscored the risks of U.S.-led coalition aircraft and Russian flights operating in Syria's limited airspace.
U.S. and Russian defense chiefs agreed on Friday to explore ways to avoid accidental interactions, also known as "deconfliction" in military parlance.
The discussions may gain added urgency, now that Moscow has started drone flights.
The former Cold War foes have a common adversary in Islamic State militants in Syria, even as Washington opposes Moscow's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, seeing him as a driving force in the nation's devastating, four-and-a-half-year civil war.
But Russia may also want to target opposition fighters that the United States supports in Syria, seeing them as equal threats to Assad.
Russia's drone operations appeared to be staged out of an air base near Latakia, where it has moved heavy military equipment, including fighter jets, helicopter gunships and naval infantry forces in recent days, U.S. officials said.
(Reporting by Phil Stewart; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Jeffrey Benkoe)
Hindustani78
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Russia deploys 28 combat planes in Syria: US officials | Zee News
Washington: Russia has deployed 28 combat planes in Syria, US officials said Monday, confirming the latest move in Moscow`s increasing military presence in the war-torn nation.
Washington in recent weeks has expressed growing concern over Russia`s moves to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and warned that militarily backing his regime risks further hampering efforts at bringing peace.
Experts said the buildup is likely a prelude to military action.
"There are 28 fighter and bomber aircraft" at an airfield in the western Syrian province of Latakia, one of the officials told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.
A second official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the figure and added there were also about 20 Russian combat and transport helicopters at the base.
That official also said Russia was operating drones over Syria, but did not give additional details.
According to the officials, Russia has sent 12 SU-24 attack aircraft, 12 SU-25 ground attack aircraft and four Flanker fighter jets.
Analyst Jeffrey White of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy said: "They are not going to sit around and defend the airfield or maybe even the province of Latakia.
"This kind of aircraft suggests that the Russians intend to exert their combat power outside of Latakia in an offensive role."
Moscow has been on a diplomatic push to get the coalition of Western and regional powers fighting the Islamic State group in Syria to join forces with Assad against the jihadists.
US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter spoke with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu on Friday, ending an 18-month freeze in military relations triggered by NATO anger over Moscow`s role in the Ukraine crisis.
They agreed to continue discussions, which are crucial to lessen the risk of incidents involving coalition forces and Russian forces operating in the same air space.
The US-led coalition is carrying out almost daily strikes against the jihadists in Syria.
AFP
Washington: Russia has deployed 28 combat planes in Syria, US officials said Monday, confirming the latest move in Moscow`s increasing military presence in the war-torn nation.
Washington in recent weeks has expressed growing concern over Russia`s moves to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and warned that militarily backing his regime risks further hampering efforts at bringing peace.
Experts said the buildup is likely a prelude to military action.
"There are 28 fighter and bomber aircraft" at an airfield in the western Syrian province of Latakia, one of the officials told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.
A second official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the figure and added there were also about 20 Russian combat and transport helicopters at the base.
That official also said Russia was operating drones over Syria, but did not give additional details.
According to the officials, Russia has sent 12 SU-24 attack aircraft, 12 SU-25 ground attack aircraft and four Flanker fighter jets.
Analyst Jeffrey White of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy said: "They are not going to sit around and defend the airfield or maybe even the province of Latakia.
"This kind of aircraft suggests that the Russians intend to exert their combat power outside of Latakia in an offensive role."
Moscow has been on a diplomatic push to get the coalition of Western and regional powers fighting the Islamic State group in Syria to join forces with Assad against the jihadists.
US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter spoke with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu on Friday, ending an 18-month freeze in military relations triggered by NATO anger over Moscow`s role in the Ukraine crisis.
They agreed to continue discussions, which are crucial to lessen the risk of incidents involving coalition forces and Russian forces operating in the same air space.
The US-led coalition is carrying out almost daily strikes against the jihadists in Syria.
AFP
Hindustani78
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Russia starts Syria drone surveillance missions: U.S. officials| Reuters
Tue Sep 22, 2015 5:21am EDT
Russia starts Syria drone surveillance missions: U.S. officials
WASHINGTON | By Phil Stewart
Russia has started flying drone aircraft on surveillance missions in Syria, U.S. officials said on Monday, in what appeared to be Moscow's first military air operations there since staging a rapid buildup at a Syrian air base.
The beginning of Russian drone flights underscored the risks of U.S.-led coalition planes and Russian aircraft operating within Syria's limited airspace, without agreeing on coordination or objectives in Syria's civil war.
The former Cold War foes have a common adversary in Islamic State militants in Syria. But Washington opposes Moscow's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, seeing him as a driving force in the four-and-a-half year-long civil war.
The Pentagon declined comment at a news briefing when asked about the Reuters report on Russian drones, saying it could not discuss intelligence matters. But it said the U.S. Department of Defense was "keenly aware" of what was happening on the ground in Syria.
The White House acknowledged that Moscow's intentions were unclear and that the prospect of deepening Russian military backing for Assad was troubling.
"We've made clear both in public and in private that doubling down on supporting Assad is a losing bet," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.
One U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the number of fixed-wing, piloted Russian aircraft stationed at the air base near Latakia, an Assad stronghold, had also grown dramatically in recent days.
That included Russia's positioning of a dozen "Fencer" advanced-attack aircraft and a dozen "Frogfoot" jets, used for close air support. Those were in addition to Russia's first deployment of fighter jets last week.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said over the weekend the United States welcomed Russia's involvement in tackling Islamic State militants in Syria. But he said a worsening refugee crisis highlighted the need to find a compromise that could also lead to political change in the country.
Syria's civil war has killed an estimated 250,000 people, and many continue to flee their homes, with 4 million refugees and another 7.6 million displaced inside the country.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged to continue military support for Assad, assistance that Russia says is in line with international law.
It was also unclear whether Moscow might eventually target opposition fighters that the United States supports in Syria, seeing them as equal threats to Assad as Islamic State fighters.
U.S. and Russian defense chiefs agreed on Friday to explore ways to avoid accidental interactions, also known as "deconfliction" in military parlance. But those discussions were described as only at their inception.
It was unclear whether the U.S.-Russian talks might gain added urgency, now that Moscow has started drone flights.
Russia's drone operations appeared to be staged out of the air base near Latakia, officials said.
Two U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was not immediately clear how many Russian drone aircraft were operating or the scope of their missions.
At the State Department, spokesman John Kirby acknowledged concerns over the kind of Russian hardware being sent to Syria, saying it added to questions about whether Moscow's aim was mostly to battle Islamic State or to "prop up the Assad regime."
Meanwhile, Israel and Russia agreed to coordinate military actions over Syria in order to avoid accidentally trading fire. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after talks in Moscow with Putin that they had "agreed on a mechanism to prevent such misunderstandings."
(Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Grant McCool)
The Pentagon has released satellite images that, according to the U.S. military, prove the presence of Russian aircraft in Syria, according to ABC News.
abcnews.go.com
In a significant increase to its new military presence in Syria, Russia sent in 24 additional fighter aircraft this past weekend to the airfield in Latakia that U.S. officials say has become a Russian air operations hub in the war-torn country. Meanwhile, the troubled U.S. effort to train moderate Syrian rebels to fight ISIS continues as a second group of 71 fighters has entered Syria, ABC News has reported.
U.S. officials said that over the weekend Russia flew in 24 attack aircraft into Latakia, joining four fighter aircraft that arrived last Friday. That initial group of fighter aircraft is now believed to be SU-30 "Flanker" air-to-ground attack aircraft.
Twelve SU-25 "Frogfeet" and 12 SU-24 "Fencer" attack aircraft flew surreptitiously into Syria accompanying the now daily Condor cargo flights arriving in Latakia, according to a U.S. official.
In addition, unarmed Russian drones began flying reconnaissance missions over Syria this weekend.
The flow of additional Russian military equipment continues at the airfield in the Mediterranean city that is located in a stronghold of support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The number of Mi-17 and Mi-24 attack helicopters has grown to 15, nearly double the number of helicopters at the base last week, the U.S. official said.
Russia now has 36 armored personnel carriers, nine tanks and two air-defense missile systems at the airfield in Latakia, according to U.S. officials. The ground vehicles and helicopters are consistent with the type of equipment that would presumably be needed to defend the new operations hub. It is believed that there are now more than 500 Russian military personnel operating at the airfield.
Tue Sep 22, 2015 5:21am EDT
Russia starts Syria drone surveillance missions: U.S. officials
WASHINGTON | By Phil Stewart
Russia has started flying drone aircraft on surveillance missions in Syria, U.S. officials said on Monday, in what appeared to be Moscow's first military air operations there since staging a rapid buildup at a Syrian air base.
The beginning of Russian drone flights underscored the risks of U.S.-led coalition planes and Russian aircraft operating within Syria's limited airspace, without agreeing on coordination or objectives in Syria's civil war.
The former Cold War foes have a common adversary in Islamic State militants in Syria. But Washington opposes Moscow's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, seeing him as a driving force in the four-and-a-half year-long civil war.
The Pentagon declined comment at a news briefing when asked about the Reuters report on Russian drones, saying it could not discuss intelligence matters. But it said the U.S. Department of Defense was "keenly aware" of what was happening on the ground in Syria.
The White House acknowledged that Moscow's intentions were unclear and that the prospect of deepening Russian military backing for Assad was troubling.
"We've made clear both in public and in private that doubling down on supporting Assad is a losing bet," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.
One U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the number of fixed-wing, piloted Russian aircraft stationed at the air base near Latakia, an Assad stronghold, had also grown dramatically in recent days.
That included Russia's positioning of a dozen "Fencer" advanced-attack aircraft and a dozen "Frogfoot" jets, used for close air support. Those were in addition to Russia's first deployment of fighter jets last week.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said over the weekend the United States welcomed Russia's involvement in tackling Islamic State militants in Syria. But he said a worsening refugee crisis highlighted the need to find a compromise that could also lead to political change in the country.
Syria's civil war has killed an estimated 250,000 people, and many continue to flee their homes, with 4 million refugees and another 7.6 million displaced inside the country.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged to continue military support for Assad, assistance that Russia says is in line with international law.
It was also unclear whether Moscow might eventually target opposition fighters that the United States supports in Syria, seeing them as equal threats to Assad as Islamic State fighters.
U.S. and Russian defense chiefs agreed on Friday to explore ways to avoid accidental interactions, also known as "deconfliction" in military parlance. But those discussions were described as only at their inception.
It was unclear whether the U.S.-Russian talks might gain added urgency, now that Moscow has started drone flights.
Russia's drone operations appeared to be staged out of the air base near Latakia, officials said.
Two U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was not immediately clear how many Russian drone aircraft were operating or the scope of their missions.
At the State Department, spokesman John Kirby acknowledged concerns over the kind of Russian hardware being sent to Syria, saying it added to questions about whether Moscow's aim was mostly to battle Islamic State or to "prop up the Assad regime."
Meanwhile, Israel and Russia agreed to coordinate military actions over Syria in order to avoid accidentally trading fire. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after talks in Moscow with Putin that they had "agreed on a mechanism to prevent such misunderstandings."
(Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Grant McCool)
The Pentagon has released satellite images that, according to the U.S. military, prove the presence of Russian aircraft in Syria, according to ABC News.
abcnews.go.com
In a significant increase to its new military presence in Syria, Russia sent in 24 additional fighter aircraft this past weekend to the airfield in Latakia that U.S. officials say has become a Russian air operations hub in the war-torn country. Meanwhile, the troubled U.S. effort to train moderate Syrian rebels to fight ISIS continues as a second group of 71 fighters has entered Syria, ABC News has reported.
U.S. officials said that over the weekend Russia flew in 24 attack aircraft into Latakia, joining four fighter aircraft that arrived last Friday. That initial group of fighter aircraft is now believed to be SU-30 "Flanker" air-to-ground attack aircraft.
Twelve SU-25 "Frogfeet" and 12 SU-24 "Fencer" attack aircraft flew surreptitiously into Syria accompanying the now daily Condor cargo flights arriving in Latakia, according to a U.S. official.
In addition, unarmed Russian drones began flying reconnaissance missions over Syria this weekend.
The flow of additional Russian military equipment continues at the airfield in the Mediterranean city that is located in a stronghold of support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The number of Mi-17 and Mi-24 attack helicopters has grown to 15, nearly double the number of helicopters at the base last week, the U.S. official said.
Russia now has 36 armored personnel carriers, nine tanks and two air-defense missile systems at the airfield in Latakia, according to U.S. officials. The ground vehicles and helicopters are consistent with the type of equipment that would presumably be needed to defend the new operations hub. It is believed that there are now more than 500 Russian military personnel operating at the airfield.
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