Russia Show Syrian Forces Support With Airstrikes Against ISIS

Russia has said it intends to perform airstrikes against ISIS to help Syrian opposition forces, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavorov announced. 

Lavorov also blasted Washington for failing to coordinate their anti-terror campaign with Moscow, saying, “We are ready to back the patriotic opposition, including the so-called Free Syrian Army, with our air support. However, Washington is refusing to inform us of the locations of the terrorists and where the opposition is based”.

Rt.com reports:

“The most important thing for us is to find people who will be true representatives of the armed groups who will confront terrorism among other things,” he added.

Combat report: Russian Air Force carries out 53 sorties, strikes 72 targets in Syria https://t.co/QDOkcANj7U pic.twitter.com/WNz7MxamWl

— RT (@RT_com) October 22, 2015

According to Lavrov, Russia “has never stopped working” either with Syrian President Bashar Assad, or with the Syrian opposition. “I believe we are probably the only country which supported and will support contacts with all political forces in Syria,” he said. “Foreign players” cannot decide anything for Syrian people, the Russian Foreign Minister has said. “We have to make them choose their own process for how their country should live on and protect the interests of every confessional, ethnic or political group. Of course, this work should be done in preparation for elections, both parliamentary and presidential.”

Syria talks should be more ‘representative,’ include Iran, Egypt – Moscow https://t.co/jxAr2A9Wwx pic.twitter.com/yYEVNlAm7O — RT (@RT_com) October 23, 2015

Russia launched airstrikes targeting positions of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) militants in Syria on September 30 following a formal request from President Bashar Assad. As of October 23, Moscow’s air force has destroyed 819 IS targets in 934 sorties, according to Defence Ministry.