Horn
12th December 2015, 12:17 PM
President Vladimir Putin said on Friday Russia is supporting the opposition Free Syrian Army, providing it with air cover, arms and ammunition in joint operations with Syrian troops against Islamist militants.
His statement appeared to be the first time Moscow said it was actually supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's opponents in the fight against Islamic State forces. Putin said last month the Russian air force had hit several "terrorist" targets identified by the Free Syrian Army.
A few hours later, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Putin had been talking about weapons supplies to the armed forces loyal to Assad.
But Peskov did not say Putin had been mistaken or misquoted about supplies to the Free Syrian Army and did not deny weapons were going to the opposition force.
Western and Arab states carrying out air strikes against Islamic State for more than a year say that Russian jets have mainly hit other rebel forces in the west of Syria.
Asked about Putin's remarks at a briefing, U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said it was "unclear to us ... whether these claims of support to the FSA are true" and noted that "the vast majority" of Russian air strikes had targeted groups opposed to Assad.
British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon, speaking at a Pentagon news conference after talks with his U.S. counterpart, said Russia "began by bombing the Free Syrian Army" and it was "welcome" news if they were now supporting them.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia-putin-idUSKBN0TU1B020151211#ECFgrMZ3ZtUOvYgt.97
His statement appeared to be the first time Moscow said it was actually supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's opponents in the fight against Islamic State forces. Putin said last month the Russian air force had hit several "terrorist" targets identified by the Free Syrian Army.
A few hours later, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Putin had been talking about weapons supplies to the armed forces loyal to Assad.
But Peskov did not say Putin had been mistaken or misquoted about supplies to the Free Syrian Army and did not deny weapons were going to the opposition force.
Western and Arab states carrying out air strikes against Islamic State for more than a year say that Russian jets have mainly hit other rebel forces in the west of Syria.
Asked about Putin's remarks at a briefing, U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said it was "unclear to us ... whether these claims of support to the FSA are true" and noted that "the vast majority" of Russian air strikes had targeted groups opposed to Assad.
British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon, speaking at a Pentagon news conference after talks with his U.S. counterpart, said Russia "began by bombing the Free Syrian Army" and it was "welcome" news if they were now supporting them.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia-putin-idUSKBN0TU1B020151211#ECFgrMZ3ZtUOvYgt.97