Highlight
Russia conducted its first ever airstrikes outside the borders of the former Soviet Union since the end of the Cold War, targeting Syria.
Alexei Pushkov, head of foreign affairs committee in Russia’s parliament on Friday 2nd October said that strikes could last for three to four months, ignoring the US, UK and Turkey concerns that their airstrikes are likely to fuel extremism.
Summary
Barely 3 days after Russia conducted its first airstrike in Syria, there have been more than 15 reported offenses conducted already in which dozens of militants both affiliated to the Islamic State and Al Qaeda as well as other mushroom militants have been killed.
On Wednesday 30th September 2015, Moscow carried out their first air mission near the city of Homs after calling on Washington to halt its military attacks in Syria.
Russia again launched fresh attacks on Friday saying that they are committed to wipe out the Islamic militants rather than the test offensives that the United States coalition has carried out in the pasts.
The US, UK and Turkey are however against Russia’s military involvement in Syria saying that it will only “only fuel more extremism”. In a joint statement on Friday, the US, UK, Turkey and other coalition members said Russian strikes would insire haterd for their indiscriminate nature.
US allege that Russia’s commitment to the Syrian government runs only to counter US current policy which is calling to remove Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Russia is an ally of President Bashar al-Assad and massive deployment has raised concerns in Washington that Moscow is seeking to establish a military outpost in Syria in support of his government in Damascus.
More than 250,000 Syrians have been killed and a million injured in four-and-a-half years of armed conflict that has also rendered more than 11 million fleeing their homes, causing a humanitarian crisis in Europe.
As the three powers urge Russia to halt their military involvement in Syria, the latter has established her nuance to stay put in the war plagued country until the militants are defeated. This is likely to lead the superpowers into a battle of supremacy that would deviate from the situation in the Middle East.
