Moscow Eases Air Sorties as Putin Blasts U.S.
Moscow said its fighter jets had eased back on airstrikes in Syria as government forces and allied militias pushed forward in what looks to be a widening ground assault, the AFP reports, while Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized the United States for not cooperating on a joint strategy.
The Russian Defense Ministry said it had scaled down its attacks on “terrorist” targets to 32 over the past 24 hours, in comparison to 86 strikes the previous day.
“The intensity of the sorties … has slightly decreased in the past day” because “the front line with the terrorist groups of ISIL (the Islamic State group) is changing as a result of active offensives by the Syrian armed forces,” a statement from the ministry said.
The most recent Russian strikes hit Damascus, Idlib, Deir Ezzor, Aleppo and Hama provinces.
Syrian Army and Russian Jets Attack Rebel Towns North of Homs
The Syrian army and its allied militias, supported by Russian warplanes, attacked rebel-held towns north of the city of Homs on Thursday, assaulting an area vital to rebel forces opposed to the rule of standing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Reuters reports.
The attack, which began before sunrise on Friday, comes at the tail end of a weeklong ground campaign by Syrian government forces aimed at retaking areas in western Syria vital to Assad’s survival.
The area north of Homs is of particular interest to Assad because its recapture would allow him to secure territory linking the capital Damascus to the coastal core of his minority Alawite sect.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least five civilians and six rebels were killed in Teir Malla, about three miles north of the city of Homs. A resident told Reuters that nearly 25 people had been killed, including Rawad al-Aksah, a commander in the rebel group Liwa al-Tawhid.
The Syrian army’s ground campaign includes a plan to recapture opposition-controlled areas in Hama, Idlib and Latakia provinces in the northwest. Government troops, in conjunction with recent Iranian reinforcements, are also reportedly preparing for a ground assault near the city of Aleppo, close to Syria’s border with Turkey.
Saudi, Turkey Warn Russia Over ‘Syria Mistake’
Saudi Arabia and Turkey warned Russia on Thursday over the potential consequences of its recent military intervention in Syria, the AFP reports. Turkey reportedly told Moscow its bombing campaign in support of Bashar al-Assad’s government was a “big mistake.”
“Russia is making a big mistake,” Turkish Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirlioglu told reporters after a meeting in Ankara with his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir.
“What it does will bring no meaning or benefit, other than delaying the transition process to help Syria out of the chaos,” he added. “We will continue with our warnings.”
Ankara’s anger grew significantly earlier this month after Russian fighter jets operating in Syria violated Turkish airspace. A Russian military delegation arrived to Ankara on Thursday reportedly to share flight data “to prevent a repeat of incursions.”
Turkey has also said it is “particularly concerned” over reports that Russia’s bombing campaign has primarily targeted anti-Assad opposition forces rather follow its stated aim of hitting Islamic State militants. Moscow has repeatedly denied the veracity of the claims.
Top Image: In this photo taken on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015, Syrian army personnel operate a cannon in Latakia province, about 12 miles from the border between Turkey in Syria. Backed by Russian airstrikes, the Syrian army has launched an offensive in central and northwestern regions. (Alexander Kots/Komsomolskaya Pravda via AP)
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