Only 5 percent of Russian strikes on Syria target ISIS—Britain
In this image made from video provided by Homs Media Center, which has been verified and is consistent with other AP reporting, smoke rises after airstrikes by military jets in Talbiseh of the Homs province, western Syria, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2015. Russian military jets carried out airstrikes in Syria for the first time on Wednesday, targeting what Moscow said were ISIS positions. US officials and others cast doubt on that claim, saying the Russians appeared to be attacking opposition groups fighting Syrian government forces. AP
LONDON, United Kingdom—Only one in 20 Russian air strikes in Syria have targetted Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) fighters, Britain’s Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said Saturday.
British intelligence services observed that five percent of the strikes had attacked the militant jihadist group, with most “killing civilians” and Free Syrian forces fighting against the regime of president Bashar al-Assad, Fallon told the Sun newspaper.
He said that Russia’s intervention had further “complicated” the crisis, while suggesting that Britain should extend its own bombing campaign—currently only operational against ISIS in Iraq—to Syria.
“We’re analyzing where the strikes are going every morning,” he told the paper. “The vast majority are not against ISIS at all.
“Our evidence indicates they are dropping unguided munitions in civilian areas, killing civilians, and they are dropping them against the Free Syrian forces fighting Assad.
“He’s shoring up Assad and perpetuating the suffering.”
READ: Russia enters Syria war with air strikes
Despite Russia’s actions, Fallon insisted the British government would make the case to extend the RAF’s strikes, saying it would be “morally wrong” not to target ISIS in Syria.
“We can’t leave it to French and Australian, American aircraft to keep our own British streets safe,” he added.
READ: Obama, Putin clash over differences on Syria’s future
US President Barack Obama warned Friday that Russia’s military engagement in Syria in support of strongman Bashar al-Assad was a “recipe for disaster.”
Russia carried out a third day of air strikes in Syria Friday, saying it targeted Islamic State jihadists, as Putin faced increased international criticism over his military campaign.
