Page 9 - atoday
P. 9
WORLD NEWS 9
Thursday 15 October 2015
Iran sends fighters to Syria, escalating its involvement
ZEINA KARAM but Western officials and opening the way for reb- on condition of anonymity servatory for Human Rights
SARAH EL DEEB Syrian rebels say most of els to threaten his Alawite because he was not au- also reported Wednesday
Associated Press the strikes have focused on heartland in the coastal thorized to discuss military that Iranian troops were ar-
BEIRUT (AP) — Hundreds central and northern Syria, province of Latakia. The affairs. He said the Russian riving and being transport-
of Iranian troops are be- where the extremist group official suggested the Syr- “tsunami wave” has given ed to a military base in the
ing deployed in northern does not have a strong
and central Syria, dramati- presence. A Hezbollah fighter looks toward Syria while standing in the fields of the Lebanese border village
cally escalating Tehran’s The official, who has deep of Brital, Lebanon. Hundreds of Iranian troops are being deployed in northern and central Syria,
involvement in the civil war knowledge of operational dramatically escalating Tehran’s involvement in the civil war as they join allied Hezbollah
as they join allied Hezbol- details in Syria, said the Ira- fighters in an ambitious offensive to wrest key areas from rebels amid Russian airstrikes.
lah fighters in an ambitious nian Revolutionary Guards
offensive to wrest key ar- — currently numbering (AP Photo/Bassem Mroue)
eas from rebels amid Rus- around 1,500 — began
sian airstrikes. arriving about two weeks ian army’s alarmingly tena- allies such as Iran the cover coastal town of Latakia, in
Their arrival, a regional of- ago, after the Russian air- cious position around that to operate more freely in the town of Jableh outside
ficial and Syrian activists strikes began, and have time is what persuaded Syria. the provincial capital.
said Wednesday, highlights accelerated recently. The the Russians to join the fray His account of Iranian At least two senior Iranian
the far-reaching goals of Iranian-backed group Hez- and begin airstrikes two troops arriving ties in with commanders were killed in
Russia’s military involve- bollah has also sent a fresh weeks ago. reports from Syrian oppo- Syria in recent days, includ-
ment in Syria. It suggests wave of fighters to Syria, he The Syrian government and sition activists, who report- ing Gen. Hossein Hamed-
that, for now, taking on told The Associated Press. Iran had been asking Rus- ed a troop buildup in the ani, a senior Revolutionary
Islamic State extremists in Iranian and Syrian officials sia to intervene for a year, northern provinces of Idlib Guard commander, who
eastern Syria seems a sec- have long acknowledged the official said, speaking and Aleppo. The Syrian Ob- died Oct. 8 near Aleppo.q
ondary priority to propping Iran has advisers and mili-
up President Bashar Assad. tary experts in Syria, but
The development is almost denied there were any
certain to increase pres- ground troops. Wednes-
sure on Western-backed day’s statements were the
rebels, who are battling first confirmation of Iranian
multiple foes, and push fighters taking part in com-
more civilians out of the ar- bat operations in Syria.
eas of fighting, potentially The main goal is to secure
creating a fresh wave of the strategic Hama-Alep-
refugees. po highway and seize the
Russia began its air cam- key rebel-held town of Jisr
paign Sept. 30, and Syrian al-Shughour in Idlib prov-
troops and allied militia- ince, which Assad’s forces
men launched a ground lost in April to insurgents
offensive against rebels in that included al-Qaida’s
central Syria a week later. Nusra Front.
Russia says its airstrikes are The loss of Jisr al-Shughour,
meant to weaken the Is- followed by the fall of the
lamic State group and entire province, was a re-
other “terrorists” in Syria, sounding defeat for Assad,
Turkey warns US, Russia over support to Syria Kurds
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — the hands of the Kurdistan fighting the Islamic State ed by air or over land. The “Turkey cannot accept
Turkey has complained to Workers’ Party, or PKK, and group in northern Syria. U.S. military did not confirm any kind of cooperation
the U.S. ambassador about be used against Turkey. A local Kurdish official in the delivery of weapons or with terror organizations
possible weapons aid to A Foreign Ministry official the northern Syrian city ammunition to Syrian Kurds that have declared war
Syrian Kurdish forces and said Turkey summoned the of Kobani said the U.S. in the last week. against Turkey.”
has also warned Russia not U.S. and Russian ambas- had provided 120 tons of “No one can guarantee Turkey and its allies, includ-
to support the militia group sadors separately on Tues- weapons and ammunition that arms given to the PYD ing the United States, have
that is affiliated with Tur- day to convey Turkey’s to the main Kurdish militia today, won’t tomorrow labeled the PKK a terror-
key’s Kurdish rebels, Turkish concerns. fighting the Islamic State fall in the hands of the PKK ist organization. The Syrian
Prime Minister Ahmet Da- The U.S. military said Mon- group in that area. The of- and used against Turkey,” Kurdish militias however,
vutoglu said Wednesday. day that cargo planes had ficial, Mustafa Bali, said he Davutoglu said, referring have become a key U.S.
Davutoglu said that the dropped small arms am- did not know whether the to the Syrian Kurdish group ally, in the fight against the
weapons could fall into munition to Arab groups supplies had been provid- Democratic Union Party. Islamic State extremists.q
