Rockets Hit Damascus Russian Embassy as Supporters Rally for Putin
Rockets flying out of an Islamist neighborhood hit Russia’s embassy in Damascus, the capital of Syria. Russia has declared the attack “obvious terrorism.”
Tag: airstrikes
Obama Says U.S. Knew Russian Attacks in Syria Were Coming
During his 60 Minutes interview on Sunday night, President Obama said Russia’s airstrikes in Syria came as no surprise. He was vague on exactly what American intelligence knew.
Report: Russian Cluster Bombs Used in Syria
Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that the Russian government used advanced cluster munition in an airstrike near Aleppo, Syria.
Vladimir Putin, Saudi Arabia Agree to Cooperate in Syria
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Arabian Defense Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman have agreed to military cooperation in Syria.
Iraqis Forget About Obama, Celebrate ‘Putin the Shiite’ for His War Leadership
With astonishing speed, American influence—withered by years of Barack Obama’s indecisiveness—is fading, as Iraq realigns around Russia and Iran. Take it from the Iraqis, who are celebrating the arrival of “Putin the Shiite” in Syria, hoping he’ll swing into Iraq to pick up the fight against ISIS.
Report: Russia Crashes Syria-Bound Missiles into Iran
At least four Russian missiles reportedly crashed into Iran instead of Syria. The Russian government launched 26 rockets from the Caspian Sea on Wednesday.
Erdogan Refuses to Talk to Putin, Asserts U.S. Would Defend Turkey Against Russia
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made incendiary remarks on Thursday, warning that he does not fear chilling diplomatic relations with Russia if Russian planes continue to violate Turkish airspace in their campaign to support Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.
NGO: Russia Committed War Crimes By Striking Three Syrian Hospitals
Russian warplanes have committed war crimes by striking three medical facilities in Syria in just two days, according to a New-York based humanitarian nonprofit group.
Pravda: ‘John McCain Wants Terrorists to Shoot Down Russian Aircraft’
Russian propaganda outlet Pravda implied in a report this week that U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) wants to fund arms for the Islamic State, to be used to shoot down Russian fighter jets.
Russia May Expand Anti-ISIS Offensive to Iraq
Russia may consider a formal request from Baghdad to expand its airstrikes against the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) beyond Syria to Iraq, said the head of the Russian parliament’s upper chamber.
Pentagon Won’t Clarify Whether U.S.-Backed Syrian Rebels Will Be Protected Against Russia
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) refuses to explicitly say whether or not American military troops are planning to assist and protect U.S.-armed and trained Syrian rebels who come under attack by Russia.
Obama Admin. Complains Vladimir Putin ‘Bypassed the Process of Deconfliction’
The Obama administration is complaining that Russian president Vladimir Putin promised he would help to “deconflict” Syria and is now violating those promises.
Marco Rubio Predicts Russian Combat Operations in Syria
U.S. Senator and 2016 Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio is looking like the smartest guy in the room when it comes to talking about foreign policy, especially after predicting that Russia would eventually engage in the Syrian civil war.
Syria: Russia Releases Bombing Footage; U.S. Confirms They Hit CIA-Backed Rebels
The Russians are still insisting their air campaign is targeting the Islamic State, but U.S. officials say the bombs have been dropping on CIA-backed rebel groups.
Turkish Ground Troops Cross into Iraq in Pursuit of PKK Militants
Turkey has sent ground forces into Iraq to chase down Kurdish militants for the first time since a ceasefire deal was reached more than two years ago.
Nigerian Military Reinstates 3,032 Soldiers Dismissed for ‘Indiscipline’
The Nigerian military announced Thursday that it had reviewed 5,000 cases of dishonorably discharged soldiers and chosen to reinstate more than 3,000 of them and that they are fit for the battle against ISIS-affiliated group Boko Haram.
Obama’s Syrian Rebel Force Goes AWOL and MIA
As mentioned last week, President Obama’s desultory attempt to influence the bloody chaos in Syria with a mere handful of U.S.-trained and equipped Syrian rebels brought contempt and stunned disbelief from across the Arab world.
Kurdish Militia: Anti-PKK Turkish Airstrikes in Syria ‘Provocative and Hostile’
Tensions between Turkey and the Kurds continue to escalate as Kurdish militia groups who have been fighting ISIS in Syria complained of coming under fire from Turkish forces. Notably, these are Kurdish militia units not direct affiliated with the PKK—the Kurdish separatists classified as terrorists by Turkey and subjected to airstrikes by American-made Turkish F-16 jets after several recent instances of violence.
UAE Joins Anti-Houthi Ground Fight in Yemen
A United Arab Emirates military brigade has joined ground troops combating Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen, in a move that senior Yemeni and American military officials believe could intensify a regional fight between Iran and Saudi-led Sunni Gulf countries, reports the New York Times (NYT).
Armed US Drones Begin Operating from Turkish Airbase
The increased level of Turkish cooperation with American efforts against the Islamic State (ISIS) has produced the uncomfortable side effect of the Turks declaring open season on our most vital ally, the Kurds. At least the Turks are making good on their promise to allow more extensive American use of their airbases, as the Pentagon says armed US drones are now operating from the Incirlik Air Base.
Iraqi Kurdistan President Tells PKK to ‘Withdraw’ from Iraq amid Turkish Airstrikes
Masoud Barzani, the president of the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq, is calling for the Marxist terror group the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to leave Iraq completely, as civilians have died in Turkish airstrikes targeting the group. Barzani also condemned Turkish forces for killing civilians in his territory.
Pentagon: Cost of War Against ISIS Already Exceeds $3 Billion
The nearly one-year-old U.S. military campaign against the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) in Iraq and Syria has already cost American taxpayers more than $3 billion, according to the Pentagon.
Turkish Planes Bomb ISIS in Syria for First Time
The Turkish government has faced strong criticism, including criticism from its own Kurdish citizens, for not doing enough to fight ISIS and help Kurds in Syria. A massive suicide bombing attributed to ISIS earlier this week greatly exacerbated these tensions.
Report: Coalition Strike on Taliban Accidentally Kills 7 Afghan Troops
A NATO-led coalition airstrike, aimed at Taliban members in the restive Logar province east of the capital Kabul, killed at least seven Afghan troops and injured five others, according to various media reports.
US Intensifies Anti-ISIS Air Campaign as Terror Group Continues Operations
Following Independence Day, the United States ramped up its aerial anti-Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) campaign in the Middle East, targeting the terrorist group with a new wave of airstrikes, described by the Associated Press as “one of its most sustained aerial operations carried out in Syria to date.”
