Redheart
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http://gulfnews.com/news/europe/russia/russia-says-free-syrian-army-is-a-phantom-1.1595723
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday that Moscow had called for fresh contacts with the US over avoiding clashes with the Washington-led coalition fighting Daesh in Syria.
Lavrov ridiculed the Free Syrian Army (FSA), the main moderate opposition group fighting the Damascus regime, as “something of a phantom”, saying that Moscow would be ready to talk to it if it really exists.
“We would even be willing - if it really is a patriotic opposition armed group consisting of Syrians that still has any capabilities - to establish contact,” Lavrov was quoted as saying by Russian news wires.
“So far no one has told us where and how this Free Syrian Army is functioning.”
Nato member Turkey protested to Moscow on Monday after its F-16 jets intercepted a Russian fighter plane that violated its air space near the Syrian border over the weekend, forcing it to turn back.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Ankara had summoned Russia’s ambassador over the alleged incident.
The US and Nato denounced Russia for violating Turkish air space along the frontier with Syria, and Ankara threatened to respond if provoked again.
Nato summoned the ambassadors of its 28 member states for an emergency meeting to respond to what Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called “unacceptable violations of Turkish air space”.
In a second incident, the Turkish military said a MiG-29 fighter jet - an aircraft used both by Russia and Syria’s own air force - had harassed two of its F-16s by locking its radar on to them on Sunday as they patrolled the border.
Syria’s foreign minister was quoted as saying by state news agency SANA on Monday that the Russian airstrikes had been planned months in advance and will be successful because of their coordination with the Syrian military, .
“Without a doubt, Russia will win this race,” Walid Al Moualem said in an interview with Lebanon-based channel Al Mayadeen, according to a preview of his comments published on SANA.
Russia has established a centre in Iraq, involving also Syria and Iran, to coordinate and to exchange information, he added.
Russian military jets carried out strikes on nine Daesh sites in Syria over the past 24 hours, the defence ministry in Moscow said Monday.
The Russian warplanes hit Daesh command centres, weapon caches, artillery and communication posts in the Homs, Idlib and Latakia provinces of Syria, the ministry said in a statement.
Russia launched air strikes in Syria last Wednesday in coordination with the Syrian army and says it is hitting targets connected to Daesh jihadists in the war-torn country.
“25 sorties were completed by Su-34, Su-24 and Su-25 jets from the airbase in Hmeimim. Nine Daesh facilities were struck,” the statement said.
In the northwestern province of Idlib, the Russian military said it had destroyed a training camp by the city of Jisr Al Shughur, artillery positions near Jabal al-Qobeh and armoured vehicles.
A command centre in the coastal region of Latakia was also hit, while in Homs province a command centre near the town of Rastan was struck along with two ammunition depots and a communications centre, Moscow said.
Germany on Monday also voiced doubt about Moscow’s claims it is targeting Daesh militants with the air strikes rather than moderate rebels.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday that Moscow had called for fresh contacts with the US over avoiding clashes with the Washington-led coalition fighting Daesh in Syria.
Lavrov ridiculed the Free Syrian Army (FSA), the main moderate opposition group fighting the Damascus regime, as “something of a phantom”, saying that Moscow would be ready to talk to it if it really exists.
“We would even be willing - if it really is a patriotic opposition armed group consisting of Syrians that still has any capabilities - to establish contact,” Lavrov was quoted as saying by Russian news wires.
“So far no one has told us where and how this Free Syrian Army is functioning.”
Nato member Turkey protested to Moscow on Monday after its F-16 jets intercepted a Russian fighter plane that violated its air space near the Syrian border over the weekend, forcing it to turn back.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Ankara had summoned Russia’s ambassador over the alleged incident.
The US and Nato denounced Russia for violating Turkish air space along the frontier with Syria, and Ankara threatened to respond if provoked again.
Nato summoned the ambassadors of its 28 member states for an emergency meeting to respond to what Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called “unacceptable violations of Turkish air space”.
In a second incident, the Turkish military said a MiG-29 fighter jet - an aircraft used both by Russia and Syria’s own air force - had harassed two of its F-16s by locking its radar on to them on Sunday as they patrolled the border.
Syria’s foreign minister was quoted as saying by state news agency SANA on Monday that the Russian airstrikes had been planned months in advance and will be successful because of their coordination with the Syrian military, .
“Without a doubt, Russia will win this race,” Walid Al Moualem said in an interview with Lebanon-based channel Al Mayadeen, according to a preview of his comments published on SANA.
Russia has established a centre in Iraq, involving also Syria and Iran, to coordinate and to exchange information, he added.
Russian military jets carried out strikes on nine Daesh sites in Syria over the past 24 hours, the defence ministry in Moscow said Monday.
The Russian warplanes hit Daesh command centres, weapon caches, artillery and communication posts in the Homs, Idlib and Latakia provinces of Syria, the ministry said in a statement.
Russia launched air strikes in Syria last Wednesday in coordination with the Syrian army and says it is hitting targets connected to Daesh jihadists in the war-torn country.
“25 sorties were completed by Su-34, Su-24 and Su-25 jets from the airbase in Hmeimim. Nine Daesh facilities were struck,” the statement said.
In the northwestern province of Idlib, the Russian military said it had destroyed a training camp by the city of Jisr Al Shughur, artillery positions near Jabal al-Qobeh and armoured vehicles.
A command centre in the coastal region of Latakia was also hit, while in Homs province a command centre near the town of Rastan was struck along with two ammunition depots and a communications centre, Moscow said.
Germany on Monday also voiced doubt about Moscow’s claims it is targeting Daesh militants with the air strikes rather than moderate rebels.
