This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/syria-civil-war-russian-reinforcements-arrive-as-alqaedalinked-rebels-crush-president-assads-army-in-idlib-province-10493781.html
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Syria civil war: Russian reinforcements arrive as al-Qaeda-linked rebels crush President Assad's army in Idlib | |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| Russian tank landing ships, aircraft and troops were claimed to have arrived in Syria to bolster the flagging regime of Bashar al-Assad, as the last remaining Syrian army base in Idlib province fell to al-Qaeda-linked rebels after a two-year siege. | Russian tank landing ships, aircraft and troops were claimed to have arrived in Syria to bolster the flagging regime of Bashar al-Assad, as the last remaining Syrian army base in Idlib province fell to al-Qaeda-linked rebels after a two-year siege. |
| The loss of the air base to Jabhat al-Nusra was the latest in a series of setbacks for Mr Assad in Syria’s civil war, now in its fifth year. Syria’s embattled president has acknowledged the losses, saying the army has had to relinquish some areas in the north to be able better to defend core areas. The army withdrawal from the Abu Zuhour air base makes Idlib the second of Syria’s 14 provinces to fall out of Syrian army control. Earlier this year, militant groups captured the provincial capital, also called Idlib, as well as other towns. | The loss of the air base to Jabhat al-Nusra was the latest in a series of setbacks for Mr Assad in Syria’s civil war, now in its fifth year. Syria’s embattled president has acknowledged the losses, saying the army has had to relinquish some areas in the north to be able better to defend core areas. The army withdrawal from the Abu Zuhour air base makes Idlib the second of Syria’s 14 provinces to fall out of Syrian army control. Earlier this year, militant groups captured the provincial capital, also called Idlib, as well as other towns. |
| Russia is a key ally of Bashar al-Assad’s regime (Getty) Sources in Washington said Moscow had sent two tank landing ships and “additional aircraft” to Syria and deployed a small number of infantry to the country. The troops, ships and aircraft were reported to have been dispatched to a site near the port city of Latakia, a stronghold of Mr Assad. | Russia is a key ally of Bashar al-Assad’s regime (Getty) Sources in Washington said Moscow had sent two tank landing ships and “additional aircraft” to Syria and deployed a small number of infantry to the country. The troops, ships and aircraft were reported to have been dispatched to a site near the port city of Latakia, a stronghold of Mr Assad. |
| Russia Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Russia Today, the state broadcaster, that Russian “military advisers” remained in Syria. | Russia Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Russia Today, the state broadcaster, that Russian “military advisers” remained in Syria. |
| Last week, Vladimir Putin reportedly told an economic forum in Vladivostok that Moscow was “already giving Syria quite serious help with equipment and training soldiers, with our weapons. We really want to create some kind of an international coalition to fight terrorism and extremism,” he said. | Last week, Vladimir Putin reportedly told an economic forum in Vladivostok that Moscow was “already giving Syria quite serious help with equipment and training soldiers, with our weapons. We really want to create some kind of an international coalition to fight terrorism and extremism,” he said. |
| Reuters | Reuters |