Russia starts air strikes in Syria, tells U.S. to steer clear
By Andrew Osborn and Phil Stewart
MOSCOW/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Russia launched air strikes against targets in Syria on Wednesday in the Kremlin's biggest intervention in the Middle East in decades, telling the U.S. air force to steer clear while its warplanes were in action.
Moscow's assertion that it had attacked Islamic State was immediately challenged by Washington and by rebel sources in Syria.
A U.S. official said Moscow gave Washington just an hour's notice of the strikes, which the Kremlin said were designed to help President Bashar al-Assad, its closest regional ally, push back Islamist militants.
Notice of the attack came from a Russian official in Baghdad who asked the U.S. air force to avoid Syrian airspace during the mission, U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said.
Russia and the United States offered conflicting accounts of which targets had been struck, underlining growing tensions between the two former Cold War foes over Moscow's decision to intervene.
U.S. officials said targets in the Homs area appeared to have been struck, but not areas held by Islamic State.
Areas of the province of Homs struck by the Russians are controlled by an array of rebel groups including several operating under the banner of the "Free Syrian Army", activists, locals and rebels said. None of the sources named Islamic State as one of the groups operating in the areas hit on Wednesday.
The Russian Defense Ministry said however that its attacks were directed at Islamic State military targets. It said it had hit IS weapons depots, ammunition, communications infrastructure, and fuel. Continued...
Russia starts air strikes in Syria, tells U.S. to steer clear | Top News | Reuters
By Andrew Osborn and Phil Stewart
MOSCOW/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Russia launched air strikes against targets in Syria on Wednesday in the Kremlin's biggest intervention in the Middle East in decades, telling the U.S. air force to steer clear while its warplanes were in action.
Moscow's assertion that it had attacked Islamic State was immediately challenged by Washington and by rebel sources in Syria.
A U.S. official said Moscow gave Washington just an hour's notice of the strikes, which the Kremlin said were designed to help President Bashar al-Assad, its closest regional ally, push back Islamist militants.
Notice of the attack came from a Russian official in Baghdad who asked the U.S. air force to avoid Syrian airspace during the mission, U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said.
Russia and the United States offered conflicting accounts of which targets had been struck, underlining growing tensions between the two former Cold War foes over Moscow's decision to intervene.
U.S. officials said targets in the Homs area appeared to have been struck, but not areas held by Islamic State.
Areas of the province of Homs struck by the Russians are controlled by an array of rebel groups including several operating under the banner of the "Free Syrian Army", activists, locals and rebels said. None of the sources named Islamic State as one of the groups operating in the areas hit on Wednesday.
The Russian Defense Ministry said however that its attacks were directed at Islamic State military targets. It said it had hit IS weapons depots, ammunition, communications infrastructure, and fuel. Continued...
Russia starts air strikes in Syria, tells U.S. to steer clear | Top News | Reuters
the Zionist) himself. :lol:
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