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Russian airstrikes in Syria propping up Assad, Fallon claims Russian airstrikes in Syria propping up Assad, Fallon claims
(35 minutes later)
Russia’s military intervention in Syria is propping up Bashar al-Assad rather than tackling Islamic State, the defence secretary has claimed.Russia’s military intervention in Syria is propping up Bashar al-Assad rather than tackling Islamic State, the defence secretary has claimed.
Michael Fallon said the vast majority of strikes carried out by Russian forces had not been aimed at Isis jihadis but were instead killing civilians and the Free Syrian Army forces rebelling against Assad’s regime.Michael Fallon said the vast majority of strikes carried out by Russian forces had not been aimed at Isis jihadis but were instead killing civilians and the Free Syrian Army forces rebelling against Assad’s regime.
Related: 'People are angry and boiling': Syrians tell of Russian airstrikes
Fallon acknowledged that Russian involvement had “complicated” the situation but indicated that he still believed Britain should extend its own bombing campaign to target Isis in Syria.Fallon acknowledged that Russian involvement had “complicated” the situation but indicated that he still believed Britain should extend its own bombing campaign to target Isis in Syria.
In an interview with the Sun, he said initial Ministry of Defence intelligence suggested only one in 20 Russian airstrikes so far were targeting Isis.In an interview with the Sun, he said initial Ministry of Defence intelligence suggested only one in 20 Russian airstrikes so far were targeting Isis.
“We’re analysing where the strikes are going every morning,” he said. “The vast majority are not against Isis at all.“We’re analysing where the strikes are going every morning,” he said. “The vast majority are not against Isis at all.
“Our evidence indicates they are dropping unguided munitions in civilian areas, killing civilians, and they are dropping them against the Free Syrian forces fighting Assad.”“Our evidence indicates they are dropping unguided munitions in civilian areas, killing civilians, and they are dropping them against the Free Syrian forces fighting Assad.”
Fallon said the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, was “shoring up Assad and perpetuating the suffering”.Fallon said the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, was “shoring up Assad and perpetuating the suffering”.
But he denied that Putin’s actions had left Europe and the US looking weak.But he denied that Putin’s actions had left Europe and the US looking weak.
“I don’t accept he has outmanoeuvred us. He has complicated the situation in Syria. But we’re not powerless.”“I don’t accept he has outmanoeuvred us. He has complicated the situation in Syria. But we’re not powerless.”
Fallon suggested that the changed circumstances would not prevent the government pressing ahead with making the case to extend into Syria the RAF’s current strikes against Isis in Iraq.Fallon suggested that the changed circumstances would not prevent the government pressing ahead with making the case to extend into Syria the RAF’s current strikes against Isis in Iraq.
It would be “morally wrong” not to target Isis in Syria, he said. “We can’t leave it to French and Australian, American aircraft to keep our own British streets safe.”It would be “morally wrong” not to target Isis in Syria, he said. “We can’t leave it to French and Australian, American aircraft to keep our own British streets safe.”
Related: He called the US a wolf – now it is Putin who’s on the prowl – Natalie Nougayrède
The governments of the the UK, US, France, Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey condemned the Russian involvement, stating it was not targeting Isis, also known as Daesh or Isil.The governments of the the UK, US, France, Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey condemned the Russian involvement, stating it was not targeting Isis, also known as Daesh or Isil.
They said in a statement: “We express our deep concern with regard to the Russian military build-up in Syria and especially the attacks by the Russian Air Force on Hama, Homs and Idlib which led to civilian casualties and did not target Daesh.They said in a statement: “We express our deep concern with regard to the Russian military build-up in Syria and especially the attacks by the Russian Air Force on Hama, Homs and Idlib which led to civilian casualties and did not target Daesh.
“These military actions constitute a further escalation and will only fuel more extremism and radicalisation. We call on the Russian Federation to immediately cease its attacks on the Syrian opposition and civilians and to focus its efforts on fighting Isil.”“These military actions constitute a further escalation and will only fuel more extremism and radicalisation. We call on the Russian Federation to immediately cease its attacks on the Syrian opposition and civilians and to focus its efforts on fighting Isil.”
A former senior military adviser claimed the UK’s policy in Syria had been hampered by “wishful thinking” about what would happen to Assad’s regime.A former senior military adviser claimed the UK’s policy in Syria had been hampered by “wishful thinking” about what would happen to Assad’s regime.
In an interview with BBC2’s Newsnight, Lt Gen Sir Simon Mayall painted a picture of the UK being in a strategic muddle over Syria and described Russia’s intervention as “hugely significant”.In an interview with BBC2’s Newsnight, Lt Gen Sir Simon Mayall painted a picture of the UK being in a strategic muddle over Syria and described Russia’s intervention as “hugely significant”.
He said the British response was inadequate when faced with the scale of the Isis advance.He said the British response was inadequate when faced with the scale of the Isis advance.
“If we genuinely want to stop this and reverse it,” he said, “we are going to have to do more than have high-flown rhetoric because this is a really seriously dangerous situation on the ground ... and our response frankly is inadequate for the scale of the problem that we’ve got.”“If we genuinely want to stop this and reverse it,” he said, “we are going to have to do more than have high-flown rhetoric because this is a really seriously dangerous situation on the ground ... and our response frankly is inadequate for the scale of the problem that we’ve got.”