Contents tagged with Syria

  • Moscow's ultimatum for mercenaries in Eastern Ukraine.

    As reported by The Informational Resistance group, Russian citizens taking part in the coflict in east Ukraine, both the Russian armed forces servicemen and mercenaries have received Kremlin's conditions for the return to their homeland. It is only through the signing of the contract with the Russian Defence Ministry for further deployment to Syria that they would be allowed return entry to Russia.

    For the signing of the contract such persons supposedly will have to provide three photos and …

  • Iraq does not want Russian help.

    According to the U.S. top military officer, Iraq is not planning to turn to Russia for airstrikes and other military assistance in its fight against Islamic State militants.

    “Both the minister of defense and the prime minister said absolutely there is no request right now for the Russians to support them,” Marine Gen. Joe Dunford, chairman of theJoint Chiefs of Staff, said following his visit to Iraq. 

    “I said it would make it very difficult for us to be able to provide the kind of support …

  • First Russian casualties reported in Syria.

    As reported by Reuters, at least three Russians soldiers fighting alongside Syrian government forces were killed and several more wounded when a shell hit their position in the coastal province of Latakia.

    If confirmed, these casualties which occurred on Monday night would be the first known incidence of Russians being killed in Syria since Moscow began air strikes in support of President Bashar al-Assad on September 30.

    The Russian embassy in Damascus declined to comment on the reported …

  • Russian airstrikes killed commanders of rebel groups supported by US.

    A monitoring group reports that several commanders of the “Free Syrian Army” have been killed by Russian air strikes in recent days.

    The commanders are reportedly from the groups which receive support of US and other coalition allies.

    The Syrian Observatory for Human rights reports that 45 people were killed by Russian airstrikes on Monday.

    Among them were both civilians and rebel fighters. The airstrikes occurred in Jabal Akrad area.

    This area is under control of the First Coastal Division …

  • Syrian conflict - latest updates, October 15

    Iran enters Syrian conflict

    Iran has openly entered the Syrian conflict sending 3000 of its elite troops of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps in support of the President Bashar Assad.

    Iranian troops have been deployed to central and northern parts of Syria where they have been joined by Hezbollah fighters.

    On October 10, General Hossein Hamadani ,  one of the commanders of the  Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps was killed in the area of  the Khanasser Highway in Southern Aleppo.

    General …

  • The latest from the Middle East

    ISIS Leader killed

    ISIS has confirmed the death of one of its prominent leaders. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed in Iraq when his convoy was hit by an air strike.

    United States disclosed this information as early as August 21 but the official confirmation from ISIS appeared only now. 

    Russian air strikes

    During the last day Russian planes conducted as many as 90 air mission over Syria.  Russia says that the main targets of these missions were the fortified positions of ISIS over Latakia, …

  • Ex-Syrian astronaut becomes general in Free Syrian Army.

    A former Syrian air force general who was also the country's first astronaut is now a general in Free Syrian Army.Maj. Gen. Mohammed Fares trained as an astronaut in the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1987, and spent eight days on Russia's Mir space station. He was the first Syrian and the second Arab in space.Muhammed Faris was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union and also the Order of Lenin.Upon returning to Syria he continued his service in the Syrian Air Force, preparing pilots.In 2012 he …

  • 90% of Russian strikes target Syrian opposition.

    According to U.S. State Department, over 90% of Russia's strikes in Syria don't target ISIS.State Department accused Moscow of attacking "groups that want a better future for Syria" in attempt to save Assad regime.“Greater than 90 percent of the strikes that we’ve seen them take to date have not been against ISIL or al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorists,” said State Department spokesman John Kirby. “They’ve been largely against opposition groups that want a better future for Syria and don’t want to …

  • U.S. says won't cooperate militarily with Russia in Syria.

    As reported byReuters, The United States will not cooperate militarily with Russia in Syria because Moscow's strategy is "tragically flawed", U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Wednesday in his strongest comments yet on the issue.

    However, the United States is willing to hold basic, technical discussions with the Russians to try to secure pilot safety.

    "We are not prepared to cooperate in a strategy which as we explained is flawed, tragically flawed on Russia's part," Carter said …