Report: Russian fighter jets strike Syrian rebel strongholds
- 9 years ago
Russian fighter jets launched strikes on rebel-controlled areas in Syria on Wednesday, Sky News quoted Syrian opposition sources as saying.
Earlier on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to launch air strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria was unanimously backed by the parliament in Moscow.
The move, which sets the stage for Russia's biggest play in the region since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, was announced as Syrian government warplanes conducted heavy strikes in Homs province and the United States and its allies struck Islamic State targets.
As part of its preparations, Moscow has already sent military experts to a recently established command center in Baghdad which is coordinating air strikes and ground troops in Syria, a Russian official told Reuters on Wednesday.
Ivanov said the upper house of parliament had backed military action by 162 votes to zero after President Bashar Assad had asked for Russian military assistance.
Earlier on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to launch air strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria was unanimously backed by the parliament in Moscow.
The move, which sets the stage for Russia's biggest play in the region since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, was announced as Syrian government warplanes conducted heavy strikes in Homs province and the United States and its allies struck Islamic State targets.
As part of its preparations, Moscow has already sent military experts to a recently established command center in Baghdad which is coordinating air strikes and ground troops in Syria, a Russian official told Reuters on Wednesday.
Ivanov said the upper house of parliament had backed military action by 162 votes to zero after President Bashar Assad had asked for Russian military assistance.