Russia launches airstrikes against targets in Syria
Quote:
In a dramatic escalation of the war in Syria, Russia has launched a series of airstrikes that it said were aimed at Islamic State terrorists but which mainly appeared to hit less extreme groups fighting Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
The Russian gambit – the first time the country has launched major military action outside the borders of the former Soviet Union since the end of the cold war – came two days after the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, spoke to the UN and called for an international coalition against terrorism to fight Isis.
Multiple reports from the ground, however, suggested the Russian airstrikes on Wednesday had targeted groups linked to the Free Syrian Army, the main opposition to Assad. A resident of Talbiseh in Homs said two airstrikes primarily hit residential areas of the town, killing about 20 people.
Moscow's intervention means the conflict in Syria has been transformed in a few months from a proxy war, in which outside powers were arming and training mostly Syrians to fight each other, to an international conflict in which the world’s main military powers except China are directly involved in fighting.
Western forces are so stupid. Wanting Assad out on "humanitarian" reasons (read self-interest) and destabilising the country further so extreme groups can seize power. Idgi
Ground troops having Russian air cover are gonna slé ISIS hihi
Russia is attacking the people fighting Assad? Of course. Aren't they allies with Assad? They should attack Isis and not those small groups fighting Assad
Just FYI the migrants were flooding long before Russia got involved. Russia wants to debilitate the rebel militants so those refugees can return to their home.
What western media won't tell you is that the missiles Russia used were relatively new and this was basically their first actual field test. Most of the missiles hit their intended targets.
Russia benefits from the internal problems of the European Union.
