Third Russian air strike on Syrian rebel group kills leader
Source: Reuters
Russian air strikes in Syria's Latakia province killed a rebel commander and four other fighters from a group armed by President Bashar al-Assad's foreign enemies, a spokesman for the group said on Tuesday.
The attack on Monday evening marked the third time Russian war planes have targeted the First Coastal Division group since Moscow began its air strikes in support of President Bashar al-Assad on Sept. 30, the group's spokesman Fadi Ahmad said.
He said a further 15 civilians had been killed in the air strike in Jabal Akrad, a rural, mountainous area in the province. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights earlier put the death toll at 45 rebels and civilians.
The First Coastal Division is one of several groups that have received foreign military support including U.S.-made anti-tank missiles, the most potent weapon in the rebels' arsenal. The group, which fights under the umbrella of the "Free Syrian Army", confirmed the death of its chief of staff, Basil Zamo, formerly a captain in the Syrian military. Ahmad said a fighter trained in the use of the anti-tank TOW missiles had also been killed. The Russian jets had struck one of the group's headquarters, and then struck the same target again after rescue workers had arrived on the scene.
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/20/us-mideast-crisis-syria-latakia-idUSKCN0SE0M420151020
Continued military actions are not the answer. They are the problem.
Civilian casualties will continue to climb until all sides stop thinking they can achieve a military "solution". Clearly, neither Assad, ISIS, nor US-backed moderate Islamist will get the clear-cut victory they each desire.
Once again, its time for compromise and serious peace talks.
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)Why does the United States think it is our business to overthrow the government of Syria?
Is it cool if Syria supplies anti-tank missiles to rightist militias here?
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)And Iran committed multiple acts of war against Yemen, and Israel for that matter.
CJCRANE
(18,184 posts)I am down with that.
Russia is illegally arming rebels in Uktraine, we are illegally arming rebels in Syria.
Russia is arming those rebels that are, what, 10-20 miles from Russia's border over some perceived security concerns. And there were the Minsk peace talks at least that stopped the worst of the hostilities.
What's our excuse again for arming rebels in Syria? Same as when we invaded Iraq -- that a dictator needs to be toppled?
Isn't it time that our country gets serious about brokering a compromise and being part of serious peace talks about Syria?
I think it is.
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)By that standard, the leadership of the US would be in the Hague: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Cuba, Nicaragua, Chile, North Vietnam--and this is just countries where we've armed rebels to overthrow existing governments. Not to mention Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Indonesia, Yemen, where we supported murderous internecine violence.
Iran and Yemen, well, I dunno. I've heard various claims, mainly from the Saudis, that Iran is aiding the Houthis, but I haven't seen any real evidence of that.
Iran and Israel. Well, Hezbollah is mainly a defensive force in Lebanon. Hamas represents the Palestinians in Gaza.
Right now, the US, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are supplying weapons to the anti-Assad forces.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)France supplied gunpowder and arms to the Confederacy during the Civil War in addition to giving Richmond a secured $15 million loan. As long as the Second French Empire did not formally recognize the Confederacy as a legitimate nation-state, Washington did not perceive that as an act of war against itself; nor did Washington impose any retaliatory trade restrictions after the conflict was over.
It seems... short-sighted (at best) to maintain that our own personal opinions about a thing are in fact, the standard; and then predicate an hypothesis in regards to international relations based wholly off of that short-sighted opinion.
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)And that's about all the time I'll waste on Mr. Passive Aggressive Man.
CJCRANE
(18,184 posts)uawchild
(2,208 posts)The ones the dictatorial and theocratic Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is financing and arming along with the US.
As opposed to ISIS which is being financed and armed just by Saudi Arabia.
daleo
(21,317 posts)An immoderate rebel is one of theirs.
Xithras
(16,191 posts)It's the FSA and its western allies that have repeatedly and consistently refused to negotiate an end to the conflict.