Iran troops to join Syria war, Russia bombs group trained by CIA
Hundreds of Iranian troops have arrived
in Syria to join a major ground offensive in support of President Bashar
al-Assad's government, Lebanese sources said on Thursday, a sign the
civil war is turning still more regional and global in scope.
Russian warplanes, in a second day of strikes, bombed a camp run by
rebels trained by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, the group's
commander said, putting Moscow and Washington on opposing sides in a
Middle East conflict for the first time since the Cold War.
rebels trained by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, the group's
commander said, putting Moscow and Washington on opposing sides in a
Middle East conflict for the first time since the Cold War.
Senior U.S. and Russian officials spoke for just over an hour by secure
video conference on Thursday, focusing on ways to keep air crews safe,
the Pentagon said, as the two militaries carry out parallel campaigns
with competing objectives.
"We made crystal clear that, at a minimum, the priority here should be
the safe operation of the air crews over Syria," Pentagon spokesman
Peter Cook said.
Two Lebanese sources told Reuters hundreds of Iranian troops had
reached Syria in the past 10 days with weapons to mount a major ground
offensive. They would also be backed by Assad's Lebanese Hezbollah
allies and by Shi'ite militia fighters from Iraq, while Russia would
provide air support.
"The vanguard of Iranian ground forces began arriving in Syria
-soldiers and officers specifically to participate in this battle. They
are not advisers ... we mean hundreds with equipment and weapons. They
will be followed by more," one of the sources said.
So far, direct Iranian military support for Assad has come mostly in
the form of military advisers. Iran has also mobilized Shi'ite militia
fighters, including Iraqis and some Afghans, to fight alongside Syrian
government forces.
