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WORLD NEWSTuesday 22 September 2015
Putin seeks to assuage Israel’s fears of Syrian aggression
LYNN BERRY Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli forces, echoing a
Associated Press right, during their meeting in the Novo-Ogaryovo residence, outside Moscow, Russia, Monday, warning issued by the U.S.
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian Sept. 21, 2015. last week.
President Vladimir Putin At the start of their meet-
sought to assuage Israel’s (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, Pool) ing at Putin’s residence
fears of potential Iranian outside Moscow, Netan-
and Syrian aggression, dur- Syria, a longtime ally, fight coordinate its efforts with Netanyahu also warned yahu told him that Iran
ing talks with Israeli Prime and Syria have been sup-
Minister Benjamin Netan- the Islamic State group Assad’s government as that the Russian military ac- plying Hezbollah with ad-
yahu on Monday that also vanced weapons and are
addressed concerns over and has urged the West to well. tivity in Syria could threaten “trying to set up a second
Russia’s military buildup in terrorist front on the Golan
Syria. Heights,” which Israel cap-
The two leaders agreed on tured from Syria and effec-
ways to prevent an unin- tively annexed in 1981.
tended confrontation be- Putin responded by saying
tween Israel’s military and the fears of Syrian aggres-
Russian forces deployed sion against Israel were un-
in Syria, Netanyahu told founded. “We know that
Israeli reporters after the the Syrian army and Syria as
talks, the Haaretz daily re- a whole are in such a state
ported. that they have no time for
The West suspects that Rus- a second front. They need
sia’s movement of aircraft, to save their own state,”
missiles, tanks and other Putin told Netanyahu in
military equipment to Syria televised comments. “But
is intended to support the still, I understand your con-
government of President cerns.” Netanyahu told
Bashar Assad. Russia has in- Putin that Russia needed
sisted that its aim is to help to know that Israel would
take action to prevent
Activists report 75 US-trained rebels return to Syria these weapons transfers
and thus it was important
SARAH EL DEEB about 100 Syrian recruits eral and taking others hos- Friday night. They had been to make sure there were
Associated Press were completing their U.S.- tage while many fighters scheduled to return ear- no misunderstandings be-
BEIRUT (AP) — Several doz- led training programs and fled. Ryder said that those lier in the month and have tween their military forces.
en U.S.-trained rebels have that most would soon be in rebels largely disbanded been receiving training, by During the talks, they
returned to Syria after re- Syria. — of the 54, one was killed; British, American and Turk- agreed on such a mecha-
ceiving training in Turkey, The representative of the one is being held captive; ish trainers, near the Turkish nism, the Haaretz report
crossing the border in gun- rebel group known as Divi- nine are back in the fight; capital Ankara, he said. He said. “It’s enough to imag-
mounted four-wheel drives, sion 30, said that 75 troops 11 are available but not in said the men returned in 12 ine the alternative — a
a rebel representative said arrived but offered no Syria; 14 returned to Syria gun-mounted four wheel dangerous confrontation
Monday. other details. He spoke on but quit the U.S. program drives, crossing at the bor- with Russia, and dealing
The development comes condition of anonymity be- and 18 are unaccounted der near the Turkish town of with these misunderstand-
as U.S. administration has cause of security concerns. for. Kalis. He said they also had ings after the fact — to un-
been struggling to defend The rebels’ return was first The rebel representative each a bag with personal derstand the importance
its military strategy in Syria, reported by the Britain- said Monday, communi- weapons and life vests. of this visit,” the Israeli
directed against the Islam- based Syrian Observatory cating through Facebook, Another activist Abu Has- newspaper quoted Netan-
ic State militant group with for Human Rights. that the group entered Syr- san Marea, who is originally yahu as saying.
an air campaign and pro- In July, shortly after the first ia “under people’s protec- from Aleppo but is now in Monday’s meeting was
grams to train, assist and 54 U.S.-trained fighters ar- tion out of fear of Jabhat Turkey, said he was also the first between the two
equip local forces. Last rived, Syria’s affiliate of al- Al-Nusra.” told by witnesses and peo- leaders since November
week, U.S. Central Com- Qaida known as the Nusra The head of the Observa- ple working at the border 2013, although they have
mand spokesman Air Force Front, or Jabhat Al-Nusra, tory, Rami Abdurrahman, that 75 rebels returned in spoken by telephone three
Col. Patrick Ryder said that attacked them, killing sev- said the men returned on vehicles from Turkey.q times this year, the Kremlin
said. q
