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Russia air strikes in Syria: Moscow accused of 'pouring gasoline on the fire' as UN seeks answers Russia air strikes in Syria: Moscow accused of 'pouring gasoline on the fire' as UN seeks answers
(about 11 hours later)
Russia has launched its first air strikes inside Syria, setting off a scramble at the United Nations and in Western capitals to understand Moscow’s targets: the assets of the Islamic State as it claimed, or other enemies of its ally and leader of the Syrian regime, Bashar al-Assad, and civilians.Russia has launched its first air strikes inside Syria, setting off a scramble at the United Nations and in Western capitals to understand Moscow’s targets: the assets of the Islamic State as it claimed, or other enemies of its ally and leader of the Syrian regime, Bashar al-Assad, and civilians.
While Moscow insisted the operation had targeted Isis, US and French officials said the attacks had been in an area west of Homs, where Isis rebels are absent but where Mr Assad’s forces have been losing control. There were also reports from at least one moderate rebel group that its assets had been hit by the Russian jets and claims of civilian casualties.While Moscow insisted the operation had targeted Isis, US and French officials said the attacks had been in an area west of Homs, where Isis rebels are absent but where Mr Assad’s forces have been losing control. There were also reports from at least one moderate rebel group that its assets had been hit by the Russian jets and claims of civilian casualties.
The Russian Defence Ministry posted a video online (below), showing aerial footage of bombs being dropped. The ministry said jets hit "eight facilities, including munition, armement and POL storages, combat vehicles, command and communication posts". It also said pilots "completely destroyed HQ and coordination centres of the Isis troops located in the mountains."The Russian Defence Ministry posted a video online (below), showing aerial footage of bombs being dropped. The ministry said jets hit "eight facilities, including munition, armement and POL storages, combat vehicles, command and communication posts". It also said pilots "completely destroyed HQ and coordination centres of the Isis troops located in the mountains."
  
Activists and one rebel commander said via social media that the air strikes had mostly hit moderate rebel positions and civilians. US Defence Secretary Ash Carter said Russia was “pouring gasoline on the fire” in Syria. “It appears the strikes were in areas where there were not Isil forces and that is one of the problems with this sort of approach,” he said at the Pentagon. He added that Russia had advised the US that the operation was to begin within an hour – an approach “we do not expect”.Activists and one rebel commander said via social media that the air strikes had mostly hit moderate rebel positions and civilians. US Defence Secretary Ash Carter said Russia was “pouring gasoline on the fire” in Syria. “It appears the strikes were in areas where there were not Isil forces and that is one of the problems with this sort of approach,” he said at the Pentagon. He added that Russia had advised the US that the operation was to begin within an hour – an approach “we do not expect”.
Russia first set off alarm bells in the West when it began in recent weeks to deploy significant military personnel and hardware to Syria. This week President Putin warned at the UN General Assembly  that he was preparing strikes. Russia first set off alarm bells in the West when it began in recent weeks to deploy significant military personnel and hardware to Syria. This week President Putin warned at the UN General Assembly  that he was preparing strikes. 
These air strikes complicate Western efforts to weaken Isis and respond to the broader Syrian conflict. The US already heads a 65-strong coalition of nations fighting Isis, some of which are joining the US in air strikes.  These air strikes complicate Western efforts to weaken Isis and respond to the broader Syrian conflict. The US already heads a 65-strong coalition of nations fighting Isis, some of which are joining the US in air strikes.  
It appears the strikes were in areas where there were not Isil forces and that is one of the problems with this sort of approach
US Defence Secretary Ash Carter
Philip Hammond, the UK Foreign Secretary, told reporters in New York that it was one thing if Russia was bombing Isis targets in Syria but was a “very different issue” if its operations were carried out in support of the Syrian President. “The targets won’t have been selected by accident.”Philip Hammond, the UK Foreign Secretary, told reporters in New York that it was one thing if Russia was bombing Isis targets in Syria but was a “very different issue” if its operations were carried out in support of the Syrian President. “The targets won’t have been selected by accident.”
Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Russia’s LifeNews TV station that the reports of civilian casualties are part of an “information war”.Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Russia’s LifeNews TV station that the reports of civilian casualties are part of an “information war”.
At a high-level meeting of the UN Security Council in New York, Laurent Fabius, France’s Foreign Minister, said “verification is under way” to understand the exact nature of the Russian strikes but he made it clear that “initial indications” show they had not targeted Isis zones. In recent days the US and other Western nations have said that, in principle, they would welcome Russia joining the existing effort to hit Isis militarily but on several conditions, notably that Moscow does not use its military might to aid President Assad, whose military position in the four-year civil war has worsened of late. They insist that Russia accept that any political transition for Syria does not envision Mr Assad staying in power in the long term or him becoming a candidate in eventual presidential elections. At a high-level meeting of the UN Security Council in New York, Laurent Fabius, France’s Foreign Minister, said “verification is under way” to understand the exact nature of the Russian strikes but he made it clear that “initial indications” show they had not targeted Isis zones. In recent days the US and other Western nations have said that, in principle, they would welcome Russia joining the existing effort to hit Isis militarily but on several conditions, notably that Moscow does not use its military might to aid President Assad, whose military position in the four-year civil war has worsened of late. They insist that Russia accept that any political transition for Syria does not envision Mr Assad staying in power in the long term or him becoming a candidate in eventual presidential elections. 
Volunteers from Syria Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets, help civilians after Russia carried out its first airstrikes in Syria
The aftermath of Russian airstrike in Talbiseh, Syria
Smoke billows from buildings in Talbiseh, in Homs province, western Syria, after airstrikes by Russian warplanes
AP
Russian Air Forces carry out an air strike in the ISIS controlled Al-Raqqah Governorate. Russia's KAB-500s bombs completely destroy the Liwa al-Haqq command unit
Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy firing Kalibr cruise missiles against remote Isis targets in Syria
Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy firing Kalibr cruise missiles against remote Isis targets in Syria, a thousand kilometres away. The targets include ammunition factories, ammunition and fuel depots, command centres, and training camps
Russia claimed it hit eight Isis targets, including a "terrorist HQ and co-ordination centre" that was completely destroyed
A release from the Russian defence ministry purportedly showing targets in Syria being hit
A video grab taken from the footage made available on the Russian Defence Ministry's official website, purporting to show an airstrike in Syria
Russia launched air strikes in war-torn Syria, its first military engagement outside the former Soviet Union since the occupation of Afghanistan in 1979. Russian warplanes carried out strikes in three Syrian provinces along with regime aircraft as Putin seeks to steal US President Barack Obama's thunder by pushing a rival plan to defeat Isis militants in Syria
“We are clear that if Russia wants to join with the coalition, working alongside the coalition, in air strikes we would welcome that,” Mr Hammond said. “Trying to prop up Assad as part of a counter-Isil strategy simply will not work… all you will do is drive the entire opposition to Assad into a single camp led by Isil. That is the worst possible outcome.”“We are clear that if Russia wants to join with the coalition, working alongside the coalition, in air strikes we would welcome that,” Mr Hammond said. “Trying to prop up Assad as part of a counter-Isil strategy simply will not work… all you will do is drive the entire opposition to Assad into a single camp led by Isil. That is the worst possible outcome.”
Mr Fabius said another condition of Russia joining the anti-Isis coalition is that Mr Assad be forced to desist from using barrel and chlorine bombs against his citizens. Mr Fabius said another condition of Russia joining the anti-Isis coalition is that Mr Assad be forced to desist from using barrel and chlorine bombs against his citizens. 
Back in Moscow, Mr Putin said in a televised speech that Russia had no intention of engaging in a ground war and characterised the air strikes as being directed at Isis and other terror groups in Syria, which are known to have attracted about 2,400 Russian recruits.Back in Moscow, Mr Putin said in a televised speech that Russia had no intention of engaging in a ground war and characterised the air strikes as being directed at Isis and other terror groups in Syria, which are known to have attracted about 2,400 Russian recruits.
“If they [militants] succeed in Syria, they will return to their home country, and they will come to Russia, too,” Mr Putin declared. The strikes came within hours of Russian lawmakers authorising military operations in Syria. “If they [militants] succeed in Syria, they will return to their home country, and they will come to Russia, too,” Mr Putin declared. The strikes came within hours of Russian lawmakers authorising military operations in Syria. 
Advance warning was transmitted by a Russian official to the US embassy in Baghdad, accompanied by a request that the US desist from flying coalition planes while the Russian operation was under way. One concern in the West is that there should be no accidental conflict between their own and Russian warplanes in Syrian air space. The US went ahead with strikes in the Aleppo area, far from the Russian jets’ strikes. Advance warning was transmitted by a Russian official to the US embassy in Baghdad, accompanied by a request that the US desist from flying coalition planes while the Russian operation was under way. One concern in the West is that there should be no accidental conflict between their own and Russian warplanes in Syrian air space. The US went ahead with strikes in the Aleppo area, far from the Russian jets’ strikes. 
Republicans seized on the new development to assail Barack Obama for failing to grasp Mr Putin’s true intentions –to exert new influence in the Middle East. “It did not have to be this way,” railed Senator John McCain. “But this is the inevitable consequence of hollow words, red lines crossed, tarnished moral influence.” He added: “We should not be outsourcing getting rid of Isis to Russia.”Republicans seized on the new development to assail Barack Obama for failing to grasp Mr Putin’s true intentions –to exert new influence in the Middle East. “It did not have to be this way,” railed Senator John McCain. “But this is the inevitable consequence of hollow words, red lines crossed, tarnished moral influence.” He added: “We should not be outsourcing getting rid of Isis to Russia.”