Damascus: As the targets of the Russian air strikes are the Syrian opposition and civilians, members of the US-led coalition who have been
conducting air strikes against Islamic State have requested
Russia to cease their ongoing air strikes. According to the US, UK, Turkey and other coalition members, the current targets of the Russian strikes would only help to fuel more extremism in the country. Meanwhile Russia authorities said that they were targeting the terrorist group IS. A senior Russian official said that the strikes could last for three to four months. According to the head of the foreign affairs committee in Russian parliament, the US were pretended to be bombing the IS whereas the Russia’s campaign would be much more effective. The Russian Air Force were begun air strikes in Syria recently. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who was speaking at the UN in New York, said that his country would also fight against other terrorist groups including the al-Nusra Front which is an al-Qaeda associate. Russia’s involvement in Syria is said to be the first military engagement outside the borders of the former Soviet Union after the Cold War. Video on Russian air strikes in Syria
