
The United States and Russia have agreed on new rules to avoid any confusion or conflict in Syria as both countries lead different coalitions. The Iraqi government also agreed not to ask Russia for help in its airspace.
by Mary Chastain21 Oct 2015, 7:20 AM PST0

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met with Russian head of state Vladimir Putin on Tuesday in a surprise visit to Moscow to personally thank Putin for airstrikes that have significantly weakened the Syrian opposition.
by Frances Martel21 Oct 2015, 6:49 AM PST0

The latest offensive on Aleppo, Syria, could trigger another refugee wave into Europe. The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that thousands already fled the city.
by Mary Chastain20 Oct 2015, 9:49 AM PST0

Sources close to the Russian military reported the government plans to expand their missions in Syria to 300 a day.
by Mary Chastain19 Oct 2015, 12:29 PM PST0

The Cuban government has denied multiple independent reports that Cuban military officials have traveled to Syria to help President Bashar al-Assad organize a military offensive against the Islamic State and other Sunni forces working to overthrow him.
by Frances Martel19 Oct 2015, 7:14 AM PST0

President Obama’s “embraceable you” foreign policy outreach program towards nations unfriendly to the U.S. has been a disaster. If that was not clear earlier, developments in Syria during these past few weeks should make it abundantly clear.
by James Zumwalt19 Oct 2015, 6:32 AM PST0

American officials have confirmed a report from the University of Miami’s Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies that Cuban special forces are operating on the ground in Syria in defense of dictator Bashar al-Assad, and are expected to operate Russian tanks in battles against anti-Assad rebels.
by Frances Martel15 Oct 2015, 7:06 AM PST0

Iranian troops, allied Hezbollah fighters, and Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s army have reportedly joined forces to launch a ground offensive, backed by Russian airstrikes, to seize key areas from rebels in Syria.
by Edwin Mora14 Oct 2015, 8:57 PM PST0

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Russian “aggression” in Europe and now the Middle East is a “new reality” for the United States that is “here to stay,” said U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter.
by Edwin Mora14 Oct 2015, 8:35 PM PST0

Ömer Çelik, a senior official in the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, warned Wednesday that “Kurdish militia in northern Syria appeared intent on creating a de facto zone of control in the region.”
by John Hayward14 Oct 2015, 8:20 PM PST0

Cuban military operatives reportedly have been spotted in Syria, where sources believe they are advising President Bashar al-Assad’s soldiers and may be preparing to man Russian-made tanks to aid Damascus in fighting rebel forces backed by the U.S.
by Breitbart News14 Oct 2015, 11:31 AM PST0

The leader of the al-Nusra Front, Syria’s al-Qaeda offshoot, reportedly called on jihadists to intensify attacks on Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s minority Alawite sect of Shiite Islam in retaliation for Russia’s military intervention.
by Edwin Mora13 Oct 2015, 9:48 PM PST0

Rockets flying out of an Islamist neighborhood hit Russia’s embassy in Damascus, the capital of Syria. Russia has declared the attack “obvious terrorism.”
by Mary Chastain13 Oct 2015, 7:24 PM PST0

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin remarked that, instead of funding Syrian rebels, the U.S. should have just given the money to Russia. The U.S. halted its training program after many rebels defected and U.S. weapons landed in the hands of al-Qaeda.
by Mary Chastain13 Oct 2015, 10:28 AM PST0

Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that the Russian government used advanced cluster munition in an airstrike near Aleppo, Syria.
by Mary Chastain12 Oct 2015, 10:05 PM PST0

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Arabian Defense Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman have agreed to military cooperation in Syria.
by Mary Chastain12 Oct 2015, 8:51 PM PST0

The Russian Defense Ministry denied CNN reports that four missiles from a Russian ship in the Caspian Sea crashed into Iran instead of Syria.
by Mary Chastain9 Oct 2015, 9:31 AM PST0

Alexander Odoevsky, the second secretary at the Russian embassy in Canberra, Australia, asserted the world needs to respect Syrian President Bashar al-Assad because Syrians “elected” him in 2014.
by Mary Chastain8 Oct 2015, 7:57 PM PST0

At least four Russian missiles reportedly crashed into Iran instead of Syria. The Russian government launched 26 rockets from the Caspian Sea on Wednesday.
by Mary Chastain8 Oct 2015, 7:27 PM PST0

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.
by Frances Martel8 Oct 2015, 7:00 PM PST0

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Jack Reed (D-RI), the ranking-member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said on Thursday that the use of “ground forces” is required to resolve the Syrian conflict.
by Edwin Mora8 Oct 2015, 3:48 PM PST0

To respond to Russia’s military campaign in Syria, first, we have to be realistic about the facts on the ground. Iraq and Syria, for all practical purposes, are failed states.
by Admiral James A. "Ace" Lyons8 Oct 2015, 8:18 AM PST0

Contents: Russia dramatically escalates Syria war launching cruise missiles from Caspian Sea; Russian Orthodox Church declares a ‘Holy War’ in Syria; Russia’s ‘Holy War’ in Syria declaration sparks calls for jihad; IMF warns of significant danger of global financial crash
by John J. Xenakis8 Oct 2015, 6:09 AM PST0

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.
by Mary Chastain7 Oct 2015, 7:00 PM PST0

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.
by Edwin Mora7 Oct 2015, 6:32 PM PST0