ResultOngoing. Pro-government forces increase controlled territory four-fold from 19,000 sq km to 78,000 sq km.
Major pro-government strategic gains across Syria. Russian forces partially withdraw in mid-March 2016. in indefinite deployment, air-strikes to continue post-withdrawal. The Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War began in September 2015, after an official request by the for against rebel groups. The intervention initially involved air strikes by Russian aircraft stationed in the against targets primarily in north-western, and against militant groups opposed to the Syrian government, including the, the (ISIL), ( in Syria) and the. In addition, and were stationed in Syria. Prior to the intervention, had mainly consisted of supplying the with arms and equipment.
Sep 17, 2017 ISW has curated its database of terrorist attacks in Europe, ranging from clear instances of coordinated ISIS attacks to low-level attacks that may have little to no direct ISIS involvement. This broad collection aperture enables ISW to analyze the rising levels of Salafi-jihadi violence in Europe that ISIS uses to justify and advertise its methodology and ideology. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and the Critical Threats Project (CTP) at the American Enterprise Institute conducted an intensive multi-week planning exercise to frame, design, and evaluate potential courses of action that the United States could pursue to destroy the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (ISIS) and al Qaeda in Iraq and Syria.
At the end of December 2017, the Russian government said its troops would be based in Syria permanently.Shortly after the operation began, Russian officials were cited as saying that, apart from fighting organisations such as the Islamic State, Russia′s goals included helping the Syrian government retake territory from various anti-government groups that are labelled by the and the as ″moderate opposition″, a broader geopolitical objective being to roll back U.S. In a televised interview broadcast on 11 October 2015, Russian president said the military operation had been thoroughly prepared in advance; he defined Russia′s goal in Syria as 'stabilising the legitimate power in Syria and creating the conditions for political compromise'.By the end of 2017, the intervention produced significant gains for the Syrian government, including the from the Islamic State in March 2016, in December 2016, breaking the and in November 2017. In early January 2017, the of the of the said that, overall, the had carried out 19,160 combat missions and delivered 71,000 strikes on 'the infrastructure of terrorists'.
At the end of December 2017, the Russian defence minister said that over 48,000 service-members had ″gained combat experience″ during the Russian operation in Syria.The -based pro-opposition (SOHR) stated that between the initiation of the intervention in September 2015 and end of February 2016, Russian air strikes killed at least 1,700 civilians, including more than 200 children. The (SNHR) and the (VDC) put the number higher, at over 2,000; SNHR's report stated that Russian attacks have killed more civilians than either the Islamic State or the Syrian Army. Weapons used included, incendiaries similar to. By the end of September 2017, the SOHR stated that Russian airstrikes killed around 5,703 civilians, about a quarter of them children, along with 4,258 ISIL fighters and 3,893 militants from the Al-Qaeda affiliate al-Nusra Front and other rebel forces.The intervention polarized international observers.
Countries with close diplomatic and economic ties to Russia, including, and, have generally supported the intervention; reactions of governments close to the US were usually contrary, with many governments denouncing Russia for its role in the war and accusing the state of complicity in the Syrian regime's alleged. And have alleged Russia is committing war crimes and deliberately targeting civilians, the United States government has condemned the intervention and imposed against Russia for supporting the Syrian government, and officials at the have condemned the Russian intervention and accused Russia of war crimes. Russian authorities have dismissed the accusations as false and politically motivated,and accused critics of 'barbarism,' which elicited heavier condemnation from governments which support the rebel groups. See also:, andThe Syrian Civil War has been waged since 2011 between multiple opposition (anti-government) groupings and the government as well, as their local and foreign support bases.
Since 2014, a significant part of Syria′s territory had been by the, an entity internationally. In the north-west of the country, the main opposition faction is the -affiliated, allied with numerous other smaller groups, some of which operated under the umbrella of the (FSA) that was supported and armed by the United States and its regional allies. Since September 2014, the had conducted in Syria against, which was widely seen as unsuccessful in achieving their goals.According to Russian and Syrian officials, in July 2015, the Syrian President made a formal request to Russia for air strikes combating international terrorism, while laying out Syria's military problems. See also:The first series of took place on 30 September 2015 in areas around the cities of and, targeting the. Russian warplanes attacked rebel positions 'in, and in; Al-Tilol al-Hmer in; Aydoun, a village on the outskirts of the town of;, between and; and the outskirts of '. In total, 20 flights were made. Most of the initial airstrikes targeted positions of the, 's (Army of Islam), and.According to media outlet, the Saudi/Turkish-backed around Jisr ash-Shugour was bombed on 1 October by Russian planes; at least 30 air strikes were carried out.
Another series of Russian airstrikes carried out that same day hit positions in Raqqa governorate. Preparation of an aircraft of the Russian Air Force for combat sorties in Syria.In the morning of 2 October, the Russian Air Force launched four airstrikes on ISIL in the ancient city of, and the T4-Palmyra highway,. An ISIL command and control center was destroyed in a single airstrike in Al-Qaryatayn, while an ISIL convoy on their way to the Teefor-Palmyra highway was attacked.
Following the airstrikes, the and pushed ISIL out of the town of towards Al-Qaryatayn after a two-hour engagement that killed 18 militants and destroyed two technicals mounted with. Syrian forces then launched a counter-attack south-west of Al-Qaryatayn to recover the main road. Russian passes a at in Latakia.In the same day, the Russian Air Force began bombing positions in al-Rastan and Talbiseh in the. Later, they proceeded with bombing Al-Nusra in, Al-Ghaab Plains, Kafr Sijnah, and Al-Rakaya in the. The Syrian Air Force and the Russian Air Force jointly bombed Al-Nusra in.
At night, the Russian Air Force targeted ISIL with 11 airstrikes over while targeting electrical grids outside it, two airstrikes over Shadadi-Hasakah highway, and three airstrikes in,. The primary ISIL military base in Military Airport was also attacked, with the barracks being destroyed in two airstrikes. Near the Military Airport, an ISIL weapons supply depot in Al-'Ajrawi Farms was also bombed. At the same time, the ISIL primary headquarters in Tabaqa National Hospital was heavily damaged in a Russian airstrike, according to pro-government sources. In, the Russian Air Force targeted ISIL in Al-Shadadi and Al-Houl, while the Syrian Air Force attacked an ISIL convoy along the Deir ez-Zor-Hasakah highway. In March 2016 a group of Russian sappers cleared the liberated areas of Palmyra, which was previously mined by Islamic State jihadists.On 3 October, reports indicated that Hezbollah and Iranian fighters were preparing major ground offensives to be coordinated with Russian airstrikes.
According to CNN, the Russian defense ministry said its soldiers bombed nine ISIL positions near the group's de facto capital in Raqqa. At least 11 were killed in an alleged double strike by Russia in Syria's Idlib province, according to opposition groups. During the day, the Russian Air Force made four airstrikes over Al-Nusra controlled Jisr al-Shughur, and additional ones in,.
One of the targets was an Al-Nusra reinforcement convoy heading from Jisr al-Shughur to the northeast countryside of. Russian Navy produced a massive cruise missiles attack from the Caspian Sea on Islamic State targets in SyriaOn the morning of 7 October 2015, according to the Russian officials, four warships from the 's launched 26 from Kalibr-NK system cruise missiles that hit 11 targets within Syrian territory. The missiles passed through Iranian and Iraqi airspace in order to reach their targets at a distance of well over about 1,500 kilometers (930 miles). The same day, Syrian ground forces were reported to carry out an offensive under Russian air cover. According to citing unnamed United States military and intelligence officials, 4 of 26 cruise missiles on 8 October crashed in Iran, well before reaching their targets in Syria. Russia claimed all of its missiles hit their targets. Iran also denied any missile crash on its territory.
Iranian defence ministry rejected any reports alleging that four of the 26 cruise missiles crashed in Iran saying the CNN reports are part of the West's 'psychological warfare'.On 8 October 2015, the number of air raids increased significantly up to over 60 sorties a day, a tempo maintained for the next 2 days.The Russian defense ministry announced on 9 October that up to sixty ISIL targets were hit in the past 24 hours, supposedly killing 300 militants in the most intense strikes so far. One of the raids targeted a base in the using precision-guided bombs, in which allegedly two senior ISIL commanders and up to 200 militants were killed, despite the lack of any connection between Liwa al-Haqq and ISIL. Another assault destroyed a former prison near Aleppo that was used by ISIL as a base and munitions depot, also killing scores of militants. Rebel training sites in the Latakia and Idlib provinces were allegedly hit as well. Meanwhile, ISIL militants made advances in the Aleppo area on 9 October, seizing several villages, including Tal Qrah, Tal Sousin, and Kfar Qares, in what the called a 'lightning attack'. The attacks were unencumbered by either Russian or United States-led coalition airstrikes. The ISIL advance came at the expense of rebel groups also targeted by Russian and Syrian forces.
In mid-October 2015, a joint targeting rebels in Aleppo went ahead.According to citizen journalist group, who started out opposing the Syrian Government, Russia lied about targeting ISIL in the early airstrikes and missiles around Raqqa. Between 17 September and 13 October they counted 36 Russian strikes against only 2 ISIL targets (with 4 ISIL deaths) and 22 civilian targets (with 70 civilian deaths plus injuries) included hospitals, a fire hall, at least one school and a highway fueling station. November 2015. Military developments in Syria from 10 November until 30 November 2015 (the animation according to the ').
Red area — the territory under the control of the Syrian governmentOn 17 November 2015, in the wake of the over Sinai and the, according to the Russian defence minister′s public report to the president of Russia Vladimir Putin, Russia employed the Russia-based, MSM, and 3 long range firing to hit what he claimed were the IS targets in Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor as well as targets in the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib. The Russian minister of defence said that, pursuant to Putin′s orders, the Russian aviation grouping that at the time comprised more than 50 aircraft was intensifying their campaign. Besides, Putin said he had issued orders for the that had been in eastern Mediterranean since the start of the Russian operations to 'work as with an ally', with the French naval group led by flagship that had been on its way to the eastern Mediterranean since early November.
The following day, according to the Russian Defence ministry, strikes by long-range bombers firing cruise missiles in the same areas in Syria continued. The mass cruise missile strikes carried out against ISIS in Deir Ezzor province on 20 November resulted in the death of more than 600 militants according to the ministry.A Russian strike aircraft was by a Turkish Air Force F-16 on 24 November 2015.
The pilot was shot and killed by Syrian rebels while descending by parachute, and the weapon systems officer was later rescued by Russian forces. A Russian marine was injured during the rescue operation and later died en route to a medical center.
In the video the rebels shout ' ' over the dead body of a Russian pilot. According to Turkey's claims presented to the UN Security Council, two planes, whose nationalities were unknown to them at the time, violated Turkish airspace over the province up to 2.19 km (1.36 mi) for 17 seconds. According to Turkey, the planes disregarded the multiple warnings and were subsequently fired upon by Turkish F-16s patrolling the area. After the Turkish fire, one of the planes left Turkish airspace and the other crashed into Syrian territory. The Russian Ministry of Defense denied that any of their planes had violated Turkey's airspace, claiming they had been flying south of the province and provided two maps showing two different alleged routes of the airplane (one of them with 'impossible' turns and maneuvers). The cruiser operating as part of the Russian Navy task group providing air defence cover in the Eastern Mediterranean; January 2016Russia in response announced it would deploy additional air defense weapons in the area and accompany its bombers with fighter jets.
On 26 November 2015, deployment of and anti-aircraft systems was reported by Russia′s official news media, to Latakia and on board the cruiser Moskva.On 29 November 2015, Russian aircraft were reported to have struck targets in the Syrian Idlib province, including the town of that had been by the 6 months prior, causing multiple casualties on the ground. Other targets hit included the 's office in and a relief office of group in the town of. December 2015 – February 2016 On 1 December 2015, citing local sources and news media, claimed that Russia was preparing to expand its military operations in Syria by opening the near the city of Homs, already home to Russian attack helicopters and a team that had arrived about a month prior.On 8 December, the Russian defence minister announced that a, Rostov-on-Don, had launched cruise missiles while submerged, against ISIL targets in, the first such strike from the Mediterranean Sea. He also reported to the president that pursuant to Putin′s order, since 5 December the Russian military had intensified airstrikes in Syria: it was claimed that over the 3 days, Russian aircraft, including Tu-22M3 strategic bombers, had performed over 300 sorties engaging over 600 targets of different type.On 11 December, in a televised meeting at the Defence ministry Vladimir Putin ordered the military in Syria to destroy any threatening targets: 'I order you to act as tough as possible. Any target that poses a threat to Russian military grouping or ground infrastructure has to be destroyed immediately.' He also appeared to suggest that the Russian military was now supporting the anti-government forces; however, the later clarified that Russia was only supplying weapons to 'the legitimate authorities of the Syrian Arab Republic'.
A Russian air defense battery in December 2015. A close-range defense system and two launch vehicles for long-distance flight missiles at Latakia.On 16 December, Russia′s Defence minister Sergey Shoigu speaking to the members of the behind closed doors, mentioned a possible option of the Russian forces 'reaching the ' in Syria. On 19 December, Russian president Putin commended the performance of the Russian armed forces in Syria; he said that 'so far not all of our capabilities have been used' and that 'more military means' might be employed there 'if deemed necessary'.On 25 December 2015, Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Lt. Sergey Rudskoy said that since 30 September 2015 Russian air force had conducted 5,240 sorties in Syria, including 145 sorties by long-range aviation. On 27 December 2015, Chief Commander of the Russian Aerospace Force Col. Viktor Bondarev stated that Russian pilots had never once attacked civilian targets in Syria.On 30 December 2015, heavy fighting was reported as the Syrian government forces backed by Russian air strikes advanced into the southern city of, which had been held by the rebel since the in December 2014.
The Russian military has been preparing parachute platform P-7 with humanitarian aid for landing in Deir ez-Zor.Speaking shortly after the formal start of the UN-mediated on 1 February, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia would not stop its air strikes until Russia truly defeated 'such terrorist organisations as Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIL″.In early February 2016, intensive Russian strikes contributed to the success of the Syrian army and its allies′ to the northwest of Aleppo that severed a major rebel supply line to Turkey. March 2016–mid-October 2016. Russian aircraft drop in northern Aleppo in June 2016.On 1 March 2016, Russian foreign minister said that the truce, formally referred to as a ', that had been in effect from 27 February 2016 at 00:00 (Damascus time), was largely holding and becoming more stable.
According to the state–run ′s report of 1 March 2016, all the planes at the Russian Khmeimim base had been grounded for four days.On 1 March, the Russian defense ministry said it had deployed to the Khmeimim base additional radars and drones: three sets of surveillance equipment which included drones and two radar stations.On 14 March 2016, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced that the mission which he had set for the Russian military in Syria was 'on the whole accomplished' and ordered withdrawal of the 'main part' of the Russian forces from Syria. The move was announced on the day when resumed in Geneva. The Russian leader, however, did not give a deadline for the completion of the withdrawal. He also said that both Russian military bases in Syria ( and ) will continue to operate in 'routine mode', as the Russian servicemen there will be engaged in monitoring the ceasefire regime.In mid-March 2016, intensive operations by the Russian forces resumed to support the Syrian government′s the city of that includes the of, which were fully recaptured from ISIS on 27 March. Following the recapture of the city, Russian de-mining teams engaged in the clearing of mines planted by ISIS in the ancient site of Palmyra.In early May 2016, news media reported that Russian ground forces had set up what called a ″forward operating base″ (officially a base for the mining crews) just to the west of the city of Tadmur, and installed an air-defence system to protect the site.In mid-May 2016, reported that a Russian air base was attacked and four Russian attack helicopters, 20 supply trucks and one Syrian Mig-25 were destroyed. However, United States media cited intelligence community sources as believing the destruction was caused by an accidental fuel tank explosion, that the Stratfor analysis was wrong and that there were no indications of an ISIS attack on the airport.On 8 July 2016, a Syrian (a Russian, according to other unofficial military sources ) was destroyed on the ground from a United States-made east of Palmyra, with two Russian pilots confirmed dead.
A few days after, Russia announced it had employed strategic Tu-22M3 bombers, for the first time since the partial ceasefire came into force, to deliver airstrikes on terrorist targets east of the towns of Palmyra and, and the village of.On 1 August 2016, a Russian transport helicopter was shot down on its way back to the Khmeimim base from a humanitarian mission to Aleppo by ground fire over -controlled area in Idlib province. Three crew members and two officers from the were killed in the crush, then their corpses were desecrated by the rebels arrived on the scene.On 16 August 2016, Russian Tu-22M bombers and Su-34 strike fighters began to use Iran′s for conducting raids over Syria.Russia′s air force took active part in the Syrian government′s that began in late September 2016, one of the consequences being the U.S. Government in early October suspending talks on Syria with Russia. The Russian tactics and weapons used in the offensive have been compared to those used against Chechen separatists. Government publicly accused Russia of ″flagrant violations of international law″ in Syria and urged investigation of war crimes.
Mid-October 2016–December 2016. Admiral Kuznetsov departed for the Mediterranean on 15 October 2016On 15 October 2016, the sailed from at the centre of a, which included the, a pair of and other vessels, to deploy to the Mediterranean in support of Russian forces operating in Syria.
Admiral Kuznetsov 's jets were reported to be flying off the Syrian coast on 8 November. On 14 November, a MiG-29K crashed en route back to the carrier following a planned mission over Syria, while an Su-33 crashed, again while trying to recover to Admiral Kuznetsov following a sortie on 5 December.On 17 November 2016, the Russian ministry of defence said that three 'well-known' commanders of Al-Qaeda's Syria affiliate formerly known as Al-Nusra Front, among other 'terrorists', had been killed in Russian strikes fired by Su-33 fighter jets based on Admiral Kuznetsov, in the province of Idlib. Other ships as well as were also reported to have taken part in a renewed bombing campaign, after a partial hiatus in the raids since 18 October.In late November, satellite images emerged showing several of Admiral Kuznetsov 's fixed wing aircraft operating from in, with suggestions made that the number of flown from the carrier is less than has been suggested by the Russian. Problems with the ship's was cited as being part of the reason for the crash of the MiG-29K, which was circling the ship when it suffered an engine failure. At around the same time, an image was released by the frigate showing the corvette Mirazh being towed back to the.By mid-December 2016 the Syrian government, with the help of its allies including,.
January 2017–June 2017. See also:, andOn 1 January 2017, Russian and Turkish warplanes conducted joint airstrikes against ISIL as part of the.On 6 January, the Russian Defense Ministry, with a reference to a Moscow/Ankara-brokered ceasefire effective as of 30 December 2016, announced the start of a drawdown of its forces from Syria, pursuant to a decision taken by President Putin; the first element scheduled to depart the region was announced to be the Admiral Kuznetsov battle group. However, five days afterwards, a report cited ″two U.S. Officials″ as saying that additional attack aircraft had been deployed by Russia to its airbase in Syria, namely four Su-25 jets had arrived on 9 January.On 20 March it was reported that Russia set up a training base in to train units in order to combat terrorism, however there were conflicting reports about where this base was set up, with reporting it was in and pro-government locating it in the village of. At various times, Afrin was the target of artillery shelling by rebel groups as well as.
In response, Russian troops reportedly stationed themselves in Afrin as part of an agreement to protect the YPG from further Turkish attacks.Russia scaled back its airstrikes in Syria in January and February, so that for the first time casualties due to US-led Coalition airstrikes in Syria and Iraq began to exceed casualties of Russian strikes in Syria. However, strikes increased in March 2017, with a reported 114 incidents with 165-292 alleged non-combatant deaths, primarily in Idlib province, Hama and the Damascus eastern suburbs.In response to the downing of a Syrian government Su-22 plane by a U.S. Fighter jet near the town of in Raqqa province on 18 June 2017, Russia announced that U.S.-led coalition warplanes flying west of the Euphrates would be tracked by Russian anti-aircraft forces in the sky and on the ground and treated as targets; furthermore, the Russian military said they suspended the hotline with their U.S. Counterparts based in. In the wake of the announcement, Australia suspended its military flights in Syria, while media reports speculated that the U.S. Might be edging towards a full-on confrontation with Russia and Iran in Syria. Nevertheless, on 27 June 2017, U.S.
Secretary of Defense reassured the press: ″We deconflict with the Russians; it's a very active deconfliction line. It's on several levels, from the of the and the secretary of state with their counterparts in Moscow, and Minister Lavrov. Then we've got a deconfliction line that is out of the Joints Chiefs of Staff, out of the J5 there. Then we have battlefield deconfliction lines. One of them is three-star again, from our field commander in Baghdad, and one of them is from our, our Combined Air Operations Center, for real-time deconfliction.″ July 2017–December 2017. See also:On 24 July, the Russian military announced that Russia had begun to deploy to Syria to monitor a cease-fire in two new safe (de-escalation) zones that had been envisaged in the plan on four safe zones, tentatively agreed upon by Russia, Iran, and Turkey in May, and mapped out in early July by Russia, the U.S, and Jordan: checkpoints and monitoring posts around safe zones in southwest Syria and in Eastern Ghouta were said to have been set up.
Another such deployment was effected in early August — north of the city of Homs.In August 2017, the Russian military announced that was captured from ISIS in early August with support of the Russian Aerospace Forces. Russian aviation said they had conducted 28,000 combat missions, and about 90,000 strikes as of late August 2017 during the operation in Syria.On 5 September 2017, the Russian defence ministry said that the breaking of the three-year had been effected with active participation of Russian aviation and navy.
President Putin congratulated both President Bashar Assad and the Russian commanders on 'a very important strategic victory' (in his spokesman′s words). Humanitarian aid was delivered to pro-government inhabitants of the city by the Russian servicemen. The Russian aviation continued active support of the Syrian forces operating in Deir ez-Zor.The Russian military on 12 September said that 85 percent of Syria's territory had been ″liberated from illegal armed formations″ and the operation would continue.On 16 September, the U.S.-led coalition officials said Russian warplanes had bombed U.S.-backed militants in Deir ez-Zor, U.S. Russian air group personnel in Syria fit a guided bomb on an Su-34 jet based in HmeymimRussian forces in Syria were reported to have used a mix of. The October 2015 airstrikes were Russia's first operational use of precision-guided munitions, whose development in Russia lagged behind other nations due to economic instability in the 1990s.
The majority of weapons employed, however, were unguided. Most Russian jets employ the SVP-24 guidance system, which allows them to use unguided munitions with high precision, close to the precision of guided ones, with substantially smaller costs.Russia also used launched from,.
Russian artillery has also been used in the form of howitzers. The air campaign was estimated to cost between $2.3 and $4 million a day in its early phase. Additionally, the cruise missiles that Russia has used extensively, cost roughly $1.2 million per unit. Reports of civilian casualties and war crimes.
See also:, andAccording to, in late February 2016 Russian warplanes deliberately targeted civilians and rescue workers during their bombing campaign. The human rights group has documented attacks on schools, hospitals and civilian homes. Amnesty International also said that 'Russia is guilty of some the most egregious war crimes' it had seen 'in decades'. The director of Amnesty's crisis response program, Tirana Hassan, said that after bombing civilian targets, the Russian warplanes 'loop around' for a second attack to target the humanitarian workers and civilians who are trying to help those have been injured in the first sortie.In February 2016, (HRW) reported extensive use of by Syria and Russia, in violation of United Nations resolution 2139 of 22 February 2014, which demanded that all parties end 'indiscriminate employment of weapons in populated areas'. HRW said that 'Russian or Syrian forces were responsible for the attacks' and that the munitions were 'manufactured in the former Soviet Union or Russia' and that some were of a type that had 'not been documented as used in Syria' prior to Russia's involvement in the war, which they claimed, suggested that 'either Russian aircraft dropped them or Russian authorities recently provided the Syrian government with more cluster munitions, or both'. HRW also noted that while neither Russia nor Syria are parties to the Cluster Munitions Convention, the use of such munitions contradicts statements issued by the Syrian government that they would refrain from using them.In February 2016, has said that either 'Syrian regime' or Russian warplanes deliberately attacked a hospital in Maarat al-Numan.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that it was Russian warplanes that destroyed the hospital.In 2016, opposition activists and local witnesses have reported that Russia has used white phosphorus against targets in and, causing civilian casualties with the weapons.U.S. Officials repeatedly stated that hospitals in Syria were attacked by Russian forces. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that by mid-February 2016, Russian air strikes had killed 1,000 civilians, including 200 children, since the initiation of the intervention in September 2015. In March 2016, reported 'compelling evidence' of at least six such attacks. These reports, including the bombing of two hospitals by Russian Air Force planes, have been denied by Russian officials. In May 2016 the Russian delegation to the UN Security Council vetoed a statement condemning the air strikes on a refugee camp in Idlib on 5 May.In June 2016, while reporting minister Shoigu's visit to Hmeymim air base, showed incendiary cluster bombs being loaded onto Russian airplanes, identified as due to clearly visible markings. After this information, inconsistent with official Russian statements, the video was removed but later reinstated and uploaded by RT.
An editorial note below the video made no mention of the weapon, saying a frame in the video has caused 'concern for personnel safety' because of a pilot's close-up. 'Upon re-evaluation it was deemed that the frame did not pose any risks; it had since been restored and the video is up in its original cut,' the RT statement said.By the end of 2018, which monitors reports of casualties of US and Russian airstrikes, had documented 2,730–3,866 civilian deaths in Syria in some 39,000 strikes, including 690–844 children and 2,017 named victims, although Russia officially confirmed none of these. Russia claimed to have flown 39,000 sorties (not strikes) as of late 2018.In May 2019 the Russian and Syrian governments were accussed by United Nations officials of intentionally bombing eight hospitals in Idlib whose GPS coordinates were passed to Russia as part of agreed 'deconfliction mechanism' with hope to prevent 'accidental bombing' which was previously used as an excuse by the governments.In August 2019, over 19 civilians were killed within two days after Russian forces carried out air-raids on a “displaced persons camp” near Hass village in southern Idlib. Cooperation with Iran.
Vladimir Putin meets Iranian President in New York, 29 September 2015.Iran continues to officially deny the presence of its combat troops in Syria, maintaining that it provides military advice to President Assad's forces in their fight against terrorist groups. It is believed that the Syrian Arab Army receives substantial support from the; in June 2015, some reports suggested that the Iranian military were effectively in charge of the Syrian government troops on the battlefield.After the of to a in the first half of 2015, the situation was judged to have become critical for Assad's survival. High level talks were held between Moscow and Tehran in the first half of 2015 and a political agreement was achieved; on 24 July, ten days after the signing of the nuclear agreement between Iran and the, General visited Moscow to devise the details of the plan for coordinated military action in Syria.In mid-September 2015, the first reports of new detachments from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards arriving in and Latakia in western Syria were made.
With much of the Syrian Arab Army and National Defence Force units deployed to more volatile fronts, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have relieved their positions by installing military checkpoints inside the cities of Slunfeh (east Latakia Governorate), (East Tartus Governorate) and (Latakia coastal city). There were also further reports of new Iranian contingents being deployed to Syria in early October 2015.
Meets in Moscow, 21 September 2015Israel – Shortly prior to the Russian intervention, the and Russian military had set up a joint working group to coordinate their Syria-related activities in the aerial, naval, and electromagnetic arenas. The Israeli government was primarily concerned about ensuring that the potential alliance between and Russia is not detrimental to its security. According to, former ambassador to Moscow, 'Israel made clear to him Putin that we have no real problem with Assad, just with Iran and Hezbollah, and that message was understood.' An Israeli military official stated that Israel would not shoot down any Russian aircraft which overflew Israeli territory because 'Russia is not an enemy'.Jordan – On 23 October 2015, Jordan agreed to set up a 'special working mechanism' in to coordinate military actions with Russia in Syria. Russian foreign minister, called for continued expansion of the alliance, saying 'We think that other states that participate in the anti- terrorist fight can join this mechanism as well.' – Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev said that his country (also a member of the CSTO) supports the intervention.Saudi Arabia – On 1 October 2015, Saudi Arabia′s senior diplomat at the UN demanded that Russia cease its intervention, repeating claims made by Western diplomats that Russia was targeting the unnamed 'moderate' anti-government opposition rather than ISIL. Russian and American representatives meet to discuss the situation in Syria on 29 September 2015United States – In early October 2015, President was reported to have authorised the resupply—against ISIL—of 25,000 Syrian Kurds and 5,000 of the armed-, emphasising that the United States would continue this support now that Russia had joined the conflict.
Ruled out military cooperation with Russia in Syria. Secretary of Defense and other senior U.S. Officials said Russia's campaign was primarily aimed at propping up Assad, whom Obama has repeatedly called upon to leave power. On 8 October 2015, he said, at a meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels, that he believed Russia would soon start paying the price for its military intervention in Syria in the form of reprisal attacks and casualties. He added that he expected 'in the next few days the Russians will begin to lose in Syria.'
He further said Russia's campaign was primarily aimed at propping up Assad. On 9 October, the Obama administration abandoned its efforts to build up a new rebel force inside Syria to combat the Islamic State, acknowledging the failure of its $500 million campaign to train thousands of fighters and announcing that it will instead use the money to provide ammunition and some weapons for groups already engaged in the battle. The body of the pilot of the Russian Su-24 that was shot down by Turkey at in Russia, 30 November 2015 On 24 November, Obama said that Turkey 'has a right to defend its territory and its airspace' after it for allegedly violating Turkish airspace for 17 seconds, near the Syrian border. Obama also said 'Russians are going after moderate opposition that are supported by not only Turkey but a wide range of countries.' Syrian government forces supported by the Russian air force were fighting against an alliance that included the Turkish-backed and 's Syrian affiliate the. Militias and religious agents Representatives of the and expressed their support for Russian air strikes against Islamic State, al-Nusra Front. They also asked for Russian help in weaponry and for the cooperation with Russia in the fight against Islamic State.
Shortly after the Russian air strikes started, co-chair of the PYD, has said in an interview that he doesn't believe 'that America will object because Jabhat al-Nusra and Ahrar al-Sham are no different than Daesh. They are all terrorist organizations and share the same radical mentality.' On 30 September, spokesman, said the fight against terrorism was a 'moral fight, a holy fight if you will'. Leader of the Central Spiritual Administration of, Chief Mufti stated: 'We fully back the use of a contingent of Russian armed forces in the battle against international terrorism.'
According to The Washington Post, 'Russian Muslims are split regarding the intervention in Syria, but more are pro- than anti-war.' Over 40 anti-government groups, including factions such as, and the, were reported, on 5 October, to have vowed to attack Russian forces in retaliation for Moscow's air campaign.