Syria's state television said the strikes included areas in Homs and Hama provinces.
However, activists and rebels have claimed that areas of Homs hit in the Russian air strikes are controlled by an array of rebel groups including several operating under the banner of the 'Free Syrian Army'.
None of the sources named Islamic State as one of the groups operating in the areas hit.
A US official also earlier said the Russian air strikes so far did not appear to be targeting Islamic State-held territory.
Russia's Defence Ministry said it has started operations against IS targets including military equipment, communications, arms depots, ammunition and fuel.
A French diplomatic source has said the strikes appear to have been targeting the Syrian opposition.
A US official said Moscow gave the United States a one-hour advanced notice of its operations.
President Vladimir Putin said the only way to fight terrorists in Syria was to act preemptively, saying Russia's military involvement in the Middle East would only involve its air force and only be temporary.
Speaking at a government meeting, Mr Putin said it was still possible and necessary to unite international efforts to take on Islamist militants in Syria.
He said Syrian president Bashar al-Assad must be ready for compromise with the opposition.
"We are counting on his active and flexible position, his readiness for compromise for the sake of his country and his people," Mr Putin said at the meeting.
Earlier, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 27 people were killed in Syrian army air strikes on areas in Homs.
The strikes targeted northern areas in the Homs countryside. Six children were among the dead, while dozens were wounded, the Observatory added...
rte.ie
30/9/15
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La Russie mène ses premières frappes en Syrie...
ReplyDeleteQuelques heures après le feu vert du Sénat russe, les forces militaires de Vladimir Poutine, stationnées en Syrie, ont procédé mercredi à leurs premiers bombardements aériens.
L’engagement russe en Syrie s’accélère. Quelques heures après le feu vert du Sénat russe, Moscou a procédé mercredi 30 septembre à des frappes aériennes en Syrie pour soutenir l'armée du président Bachar al-Assad dans sa lutte contre le jihadisme.
"Les avions russes et syriens ont mené aujourd'hui plusieurs raids contre des positions terroristes à Hama, Homs et Lattaquié", dans le nord-ouest et le centre du pays, a affirmé une source de sécurité syrienne. La même source a confirmé des raids russes sur Rastane et Talbissé.
Les régions visées sont tenues par le Front al-Nosra - la branche syrienne d'Al-Qaïda - et des rebelles islamistes, non par les jihadistes de l’organisation de l'État islamique (EI).
Plus tôt dans la journée, l'Observatoire syrien des droits de l'Homme (OSDH) avait annoncé la mort de 27 civils et de dizaines de blessés dans des raids contre les localités de Rastane, Talbissé et Zafarani dans la province de Homs.........france24.com
Lawrow: Islamischer Staat verfügt über Elemente von Massenvernichtungswaffen...
ReplyDeleteRusslands Außenminister Sergej Lawrow hat am Mittwoch erklärt, dass die Terrormiliz "Islamischer Staat" über Elemente von Massenvernichtungswaffen verfügt.
Der UN-Sicherheitsrat berät am Mittwoch unter Russlands Vorsitz über die Lage im Nahen Osten und im Norden Afrikas sowie über die Bekämpfung der Terrorgefahr in der Region.
Zuvor am Mittwoch hatte das russische Oberhaus (Föderationsrat) auf Antrag von Präsident Wladimir Putin einen Einsatz russischer Fliegerkräfte im Ausland genehmigt. Mit der Bitte um Militärhilfe hatte sich der syrische Präsident Baschar Assad an Russland gewandt.
http://sptnkne.ws/PYu
Russian airstrikes in northwest Syria which Moscow said targeted ISIS fighters hit a rebel group supported by foreign opponents of President Bashar Assad on Wednesday, wounding eight of the insurgents, the group's commander said...
ReplyDeleteHe said the fighters were hit in the countryside of Hama province, where the group has a headquarters.
"The northern countryside of Hama has no presence of ISIS at all and is under the control of the Free Syrian Army," Major Jamil al-Saleh, who defected from the Syrian army in 2012, told Reuters via telephone.
Saleh said his group had been supplied with advanced anti-tank missiles by foreign powers opposed to Assad.
Russia's defense ministry said it launched airstrikes against ISIS in Syria after President Vladimir Putin secured his parliament's unanimous backing to intervene to prop up Kremlin's closest Middle East ally.
Reuters