White House `monitoring` reports Russian military is in Syria

[Hindustani78]

White House `monitoring` reports Russian military is in Syria | Zee News

Last Updated: Friday, September 4, 2015 - 07:28


Washington: The White House on Thursday said it was closely monitoring reports that Russia is carrying out military operations in Syria, warning such actions, if confirmed, would be "destabilizing and counter-productive."


"We are aware of reports that Russia may have deployed military personnel and aircraft to Syria, and we are monitoring those reports quite closely," said spokesman Josh Earnest.

"Any military support to the Assad regime for any purpose, whether it`s in the form of military personnel, aircraft supplies, weapons, or funding, is both destabilizing and counterproductive."

The comments come after images appeared on a social media account linked to Syrian fighters purporting to show Russian aircraft and drones near Idlib province.

Unconfirmed reports suggested the aircraft may have included a Russian Sukhoi 34 advanced strike fighter, which Syria is not thought to own.

A US official confirmed that "Russia has asked for clearances for military flight to Syria," but added "we don`t know what their goals are."

"Evidence has been inconclusive so far as to what this activity is."

Other reports have suggested Russia has targeted Islamic State group militants, who have attacked forces loyal to Russian-backed Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.

Both the White House and the Pentagon refused to say whether they had intelligence suggesting the reports were accurate.

"It`s up to the Russians to explain exactly what they are doing," said Peter Cook, Pentagon spokesman.

The United States and its allies have repeatedly called for Assad`s ouster, and are likely to oppose any effort that would have the effect of supporting him.

The White House said, however, that it would welcome Russia`s involvement in the international coalition established to counter Islamic State and in diplomatic efforts to end the brutal civil war.

AFP

Premature to talk about Russian military action against IS: Putin | Zee News

Last Updated: Friday, September 4, 2015 - 12:13

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday it was premature to talk about Russia taking part in military operations against the Islamic State group, as the US said it was checking reports of Russian troops in Syria.


Asked whether Russia could take part in operations against IS, Putin said: "We are looking at various options but so far what you are talking about is not on the agenda."

"To say we`re ready to do this today -- so far it`s premature to talk about this. But we are already giving Syria quite serious help with equipment and training soldiers, with our weapons," RIA Novosti state news agency quoted Putin as saying.

The White House on Thursday said it was closely monitoring reports that Russia is carrying out military operations in Syria, warning such actions, if confirmed, would be "destabilising and counter-productive."

The comments come after images appeared on a social media account linked to Syrian fighters purporting to show Russian aircraft and drones near Idlib province.

Putin, speaking at an international economic forum in the far eastern city of Vladivostok, criticised US air strikes on IS as ineffective.

"So far the effectiveness of these air strikes is low," he said.

Putin said that military supplies to Syria were fulfilling contracts dating back five to seven years.

AFP

 

[Hindustani78]

By Sarah El Deeb, The Associated Press 10:03 a.m. EDT September 6, 2015
U.S. warns Russia against more aid to Assad amid new violence

BEIRUT — Anti-government violence erupted Saturday in a southern Syrian province that had largely stayed on the sidelines of the country's civil war. Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports suggesting that Russia was planning to expand its military support for Syrian President Bashar Assad prompted a warning from the U.S. that such actions could lead to a confrontation with coalition forces.

The violence in Sweida province, a stronghold of the Druze minority sect, followed the killing of a prominent cleric in rare explosions Friday that claimed the lives of at least 25 others, activists and pro-government media said. Rioters holding the government responsible for the cleric's death destroyed the statue of late Syrian President Hafez Al-Assad and besieged security offices, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and other activist groups said.

In Washington, the State Department issued a statement after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to express concern over unconfirmed reports "suggesting an imminent enhanced Russian military build-up" in Syria.

While not elaborating on or confirming the accuracy of those reports, the State Department said Kerry made clear to Lavrov that such actions "could further escalate the conflict, lead to greater loss of innocent life, increase refugee flows and risk confrontation" with the anti-Islamic State coalition operating led by the U.S. that is carrying out strikes in Syria.

Russia has been a stalwart ally of Assad throughout Syria's civil war and has provided diplomatic support and weaponry to help the Syrian leader maintain his grip on power. Moscow also maintains a small naval facility at the Syrian port of Tartous on the Mediterranean Sea.

The cleric killed Friday, Sheik Wahid Balous, was a prominent critic of Assad and had called on youth in Sweida province to refuse to serve in the military. He was also a critic of the Islamic State militants who have taken over a third of the country and are fueling the civil war that has killed more than 250,000 people and wounded more than 1 million.

Balous, who was a strong supporter of rebels trying to topple Assad, died in one of two consecutive car bomb explosions, including one near the National Hospital in Sweida.

The Observatory said the death toll rose Saturday to 37, including six security personnel killed in clashes with rioters. The city had witnessed large rallies in the days before the explosions against the failure of the government to provide basic services. Activists reported that there was no Internet service for the past few days.

Syria's official news agency and other activist groups put the death toll from the blasts at 26. There was no immediate claim of responsibly for the bombings.

The Syrian government called the blasts "cowardly terrorist acts." A police commander in the city, Mohammed Samra, said Sweida was "calm and stable" and denied any unrest, saying reports of anti-government violence were aimed at undermining security in the area.

Some of Balous' supporters said in a statement they will expel security forces from Sweida province, which until now has largely stayed out of the fighting in Syria's civil war.

City elders appealed for calm, warning against attempts to drag the province toward violence. Another statement from the city's Druze leaders urged supporters to be patient as the cleric's brother, who was seriously wounded in the attack, recovers.

A 10th century offshoot of Shiite Islam, the Druze made up about 5 percent of Syria's prewar population of 23 million people, and is split between supporters and opponents of Assad.

In neighboring Lebanon, which also has a sizeable Druze population, the sect's political leader Walid Jumblatt said Balous's death was a "painful strike" to the community.

"It is time for the honorable citizens (of Sweida) to rise up in the face of the Syrian regime that wants repression and to spread sedition," he told the anti-government Syrian Orient TV.

The National Syrian Coalition opposition group in exile also blamed the Syrian government for the killing of the cleric, known as "the Dignity Sheikh," saying it was part of an attempt to stop the anti-government protests in recent days. In a statement, coalition member Suheir Attasi said killing Balous only "increased the popular anger in the province."

Associated Press writer Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria, contributed to this report.

 

[notorious_eagle]

I have my sincere doubts. If Russia does indeed insert military personal into the Equation, the Balance of Power will decisively shift in favour of Assad and as of now, i am yet to see any overwhelming victory delivered by SAA. From the most recent reports, all they have been doing is withdrawing and only fortifying their existing strongholds.

There is no force in Syria that can match the overwhelming firepower, discipline and tactics the Russians can deliver o the Battlefield. I think these troops that were recently pictured were already deployed there to guard Russian Interests in Syria.

 

[bdslph]

RUSSIA IS NOT IN SYRIA .

 

[Hindustani78]

RUSSIA IS NOT IN SYRIA .

what about Tartus Port ?

Mon Sep 7, 2015 9:37am EDT
Related: World
Russia says its arms deliveries to Syria aimed at fighting terrorism: RIA Novosti| Reuters
MOSCOW

Russia has never concealed the fact that it has been supplying military equipment to Syria aimed at fighting terrorism, RIA Novosti news agency cited a foreign ministry spokeswoman as saying on Monday.

The agency, citing the ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, also reported that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in a phone conversation it is "premature" to speak about Russia's participation in military operations in Syria.

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly; Editing by Christian Lowe)

 

[bdslph]

NO I MEAN in a way on airforce and ground troops

wish the russian send everything so everything will change

 

[Hindustani78]

NO I MEAN in a way on airforce and ground troops

wish the russian send everything so everything will change

Damascus denies reports of Russian forces in Syria | Zee News
Last Updated: Tuesday, September 8, 2015 - 20:09

Damascus: Syria has denied reports of increased military activity by Russian troops on its soil, after Washington said it was following up on claims of ramped up support from Moscow.


Speaking yesterday to Hezbollah's Al-Manar television station, Information Minister Omran Zohbi dismissed the reports as baseless.

"There is absolutely nothing to these rumours and what was said a few days ago," Zohbi said of reports of increased aid from Russia, a key supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

"There are no Russian forces, and there is no Russian military activity on Syrian territory by land, sea or air," Zohbi told Al-Manar, which belongs to powerful Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah, also allied with Assad.

On Thursday, the White House said it was following up on reports that Russia was conducting military operations inside Syria, warning that any confirmed activity would be "destabilising and counter-productive."

US Secretary of State John Kerry had told his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that the US was "concerned" about Russian military reinforcements in Syria, the State Department said.

Moscow said that the aid it provides to Damascus is normal.

Russia maintains a naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus, the origins of which date back to Moscow's close relationship with Damascus under the Soviet Union.

Zohbi said the rumours about increased Russian aid were "circulated by Western intelligence and in some Arab intelligence services to give the impression... That Russia is intervening directly in order to put pressure on Syria... And that the Syrian state has weakened so much it needs direct help from its friends."

"Syrian-Russian ties in the military context are a prolonged relationship, and whatever is coming from the Russian military to Syria is a result of previous agreements that were settled in the past, and are not something new," Zohbi told Al-Manar.

He accused the US and others of providing "lethal aid to armed terrorist groups" that he said were falsely presented as being part of the moderate opposition.

A Greek official said on Monday that his country had received a request from the US to block Russian supply planes heading to Syria from flying through Greek air space.

AFP

 

[KTOOOOM]

I have my sincere doubts. If Russia does indeed insert military personal into the Equation, the Balance of Power will decisively shift in favour of Assad and as of now, i am yet to see any overwhelming victory delivered by SAA. From the most recent reports, all they have been doing is withdrawing and only fortifying their existing strongholds.

There is no force in Syria that can match the overwhelming firepower, discipline and tactics the Russians can deliver o the Battlefield. I think these troops that were recently pictured were already deployed there to guard Russian Interests in Syria.

Russian got owned by mujaheddin with ak 47 and anti air and led to the fall of soviet. there is no might in that

 

[Hindustani78]

Russia says 'no secret' it has military specialists in Syria
The Associated Press 8:25 a.m. EDT September 9, 2015

MOSCOW — Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman has accused the West of creating "strange hysteria" over Russian activities in Syria, saying that Moscow has been openly supplying weapons and sending military specialists to Syria for a long time.

The U.S. has expressed concern about signs of a Russian military build-up in Syria, including possible preparations for sending in troops.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zhakarova told journalists Wednesday that "Russia has never made a secret of its military-technical cooperation with Syria." And she could "confirm and repeat once again that Russian military specialists are in Syria to help them master the weapons being supplied."

President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials also have confirmed in recent days that Russia has military experts in Syria to train its military on how to use Russian-supplied weapons.

A Free Syrian Army fighter from the Al-Faruk brigade, center, steps on a portrait of Syrian President Bashar Assad in this 2012 file photo taken in Syria. Russia is making no secret that it is supplying weapons and aid to Assad's regime.(Photo: Hussein Malla/AP)

 

[bdslph]

Syrian need a lot of supplies in AID and military for civilian and to fight terrorist
there is nothing to be so shocked about
now everyone except Iran is closing down airspace so Russian and Syria is not success in there mission

 

[Hindustani78]

Advanced Russian APCs among arms deliveries to Syria: Russia's Kommersant newspaper - The Economic Times
By Reuters | 10 Sep, 2015, 12.49PM IST


MOSCOW: Russia is supplying the Syrian army with hardware including small arms, grenade launchers, advanced BTR-82A armoured personnel carriers and Kamaz military trucks, Russia's Kommersant newspaper reported on Thursday.


Russia says its military assistance to Damascus is aimed at helping it fight terrorism in Syria, but the West suspects Moscow is building up its military presence on the ground in Syria to prop up its long-time ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.


Russia's state-owned arms exporter Rosoboronexport was not immediately available for comment.

Kommersant said its report was based on information from unnamed sources in the defence export sector.

It also quoted the sources as saying Syria had previously paid Moscow advances towards the purchase of Russia's sophisticated S-300 air defence systems. It said Moscow later decided not to deliver the missile systems for now and has been delivering the other arms instead.