Page 9 - atoday
P. 9
WORLD NEWS 9
Friday 2 October 2015
Russia defends its military action in chaotic Syria
JIM HEINTZ guish which groups holds Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov delivers remarks during a press briefing at the United
Associated Press what territory.
MOSCOW (AP) — As Rus- On Wednesday, French Nations headquarters Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. (AP Photo/Kevin Hagen)
sian warplanes carried out Defense Minister Jean-Yves
a second wave of airstrikes Le Drian said Russian war- are taking. The representa- added: “If it looks like a ter- Peskov acknowledged to
Thursday in Syria, Moscow planes “didn’t hit Islamic tives of the coalition com- rorist, if it acts like a terror- reporters that, “Of course
defended its military in- State,” and U.S. Defense mand have always been ist, if it walks like a terrorist, the goal is to help the Syr-
volvement against Western Secretary Ash Carter had saying that their targets are if it fights like a terrorist, it’s ian army where it is weak-
criticism of its intentions, also said the Russians ap- ISIL, al-Nusra and other ter- a terrorist, right?” Asked if est. Yes, that is right. The
saying it sees “eye-to-eye” peared to have targeted rorist groups. This is basically he agreed with Lavrov, U.S. weak points are where
with the U.S.-led coalition areas that did not include our position as well. We see Secretary of State John Ker- the Syrian army is fighting
campaign on its targets in IS militants. eye-to-eye with the coali- ry said: “Well, in concept.” against IS and other terror-
the country. Speaking Thursday at the tion on this one.” Lavrov Kremlin spokesman Dmitry ist groups.”q
The claim of agreement United Nations, Russian For-
with Washington came eign Minister Sergey Lavrov
amid conflicting reports rejected suggestions that
about Russia’s intentions the airstrikes were to shore
in Syria and whether it is up support for Moscow’s
targeting only Islamic State main ally in the Middle East.
and al-Qaida-linked mili- He insisted Russia was tar-
tants. geting the same militant
The U.S. and its allies fear groups as the U.S.-led co-
that Russia, which has alition, which is conducting
backed the family of Presi- its own airstrikes in Syria: the
dent Bashar Assad since Islamic State, also known
the current leader’s father as ISIL, the al-Qaida-linked
was in power, is using the Jabbat al-Nusra and other
air campaign as a pre- groups.
text to go after anti-Assad “I would recall that we al-
rebels that include CIA- ways were saying that we
backed groups. are going to fight ISIL and
Russian jets appeared to other terrorist groups,” he
be primarily bombing cen- said. “This is the same posi-
tral and northwestern Syria, tion which the Americans
strategic regions that are
the gateway to Assad’s Yemen:
strongholds in the capital of
Damascus and the coast. Officials say rebels trading fire with coalition ships
Warplanes hit locations of
a U.S.-backed rebel group, AHMED AL-HAJ sour Hadi and rebel forces. ing to the officials. to secure the strategical-
Tajamu Alezzah, in the Associated Press The pro-Hadi units were The U.N. says at least 2,355 ly vital Bab el-Mandab.
central province of Hama, SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Ye- backed by air support from civilians have been killed The straight is one of the
said the Britain-based Syr- meni military officials close the Saudi-led coalition in fighting in Yemen since world’s busiest shipping
ian Observatory for Human to the country’s Shiite that has been bombing March, when a Saudi-led lanes, a major route for oil
Rights. It added that Ta- Houthi rebels said Thursday Houthi positions and has coalition began launching from the Gulf and cargo
jamu Alezzah also was tar- that the rebels are trading sent reinforcements from airstrikes against Houthis between Europe and Asia.
geted a day earlier. fire with warships from the the nearby southern port and allied army units. The All officials spoke on condi-
Idlib province appeared Saudi-led military coalition city of Aden, according Houthis have been in con- tion of anonymity because
to bear the brunt of the near the Bab al-Mand- to security and military of- trol of the capital Sanaa they were not authorized
attacks, activists said. The ab straight, the strategic ficials, who have remained since last September and to speak to reporters.
province is controlled by southern entrance to the neutral in the conflict that are at war with the inter- Separately, a Saudi se-
a coalition of rebel groups Red Sea and the gateway has splintered the country. nationally recognized gov- curity officer was killed
that include the al-Qaida- to the Suez Canal. The Houthis have been ernment as well as south- Thursday in heavy cross-
linked Jabbat al-Nusra. The development comes in control of the strategic ern separatists, local mili- border fire with attackers
In Syria’s chaotic civil war amid land clashes Thurs- area for several months tias and Sunni extremists. in Yemen, Interior Minis-
and rapidly shifting battle- day near the straight be- and still control the vast Saudi and Egyptian war- try spokesman Maj. Gen.
field terrain, however, it tween units loyal to Presi- majority of the area near ships have been deployed Mansour al-Turki said in
can be difficult to distin- dent Abed Rabbo Man- Bab al-Mandab, accord- off the coast of Yemen statement.q
