Medical and Hospital News  
WAR REPORT
Turkey PM accuses Russia of seeking 'ethnic cleansing' in Syria
By Stuart WILLIAMS
Istanbul (AFP) Dec 9, 2015


Only 30% of Russia strikes target IS in Syria: US
Baghdad (AFP) Dec 9, 2015 - Only 30 percent of Russian air strikes in Syria target the Islamic State group while the rest are against opposition forces not affiliated with the jihadists, a senior US official said Wednesday.

"The Russian air strikes in Syria, primarily, are not attacking (IS)," Brett McGurk, US President Barack Obama's special envoy for the international anti-IS coalition, told a news conference in Baghdad.

"If you run the numbers, it's about maybe 30 percent are actually attacking (IS) and the rest of the air strikes are attacking other opposition groups... that are not affiliated" with the jihadists, McGurk said.

Russia began carrying out strikes in Syria on September 30 in support of its longstanding ally President Bashar al-Assad, whose regime is locked in a civil war with fractious opposition forces.

The conflict, which began in March 2011, has killed more than 250,000 people and displaced millions of others.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Wednesday accused Russia of pursuing a campaign of "ethnic cleansing" in Syria and strengthening Islamic State jihadists, in a new escalation of tensions between Ankara and Moscow after the downing of a Russian warplane.

Speaking to foreign reporters at his Istanbul offices in the Ottoman-era Dolmabahce Palace on the Bosphorus, Davutoglu said he was nonetheless ready to work with Moscow to prevent a repeat of the November 24 incident.

"Russia is trying to make ethnic cleansing in the northern Latakia (region) to force (out) all Turkmen and Sunni populations who do not have good relations with the (Syrian) regime," Davutoglu told foreign reporters in Istanbul.

He said Russia wanted to purge the northwestern Syrian region of unwanted elements to ensure the security of its air and naval bases in Syria.

"They want to expel, they want to ethnically cleanse this area so that regime and Russian bases in Latakia and Tartus are protected," he said.

"They don't want to see any Sunni Arab or Turkmen population in that part of Syria. That is the purpose," Davutoglu said.

The region is a stronghold of Alawite Muslims loyal to the Kremlin's ally President Bashar al-Assad who Ankara wants to see ousted.

- 'IS benefitting' -

Davutoglu also said that Russia's military strikes in Syria, which began in late September, were "strengthening" IS jihadists by targeting moderate forces opposing Assad, especially around Azaz in northern Syria.

"Unfortunately the Russian operations are not helping to clean this region from Daesh," he said, using the government's preferred acronym for IS.

He said Russia was bombing Azaz "which is a stronghold of moderate opposition against Daesh".

"They are bombing Azaz to weaken the opposition, who is fighting Daesh. It means they (Russia) are strengthening Daesh.

"Who is benefitting from this? Daesh. Not even the regime. Daesh."

Davutoglu said just 10 percent of Russia's strikes in Syria targeted IS whereas 90 percent targeted "moderate forces" opposed both to Assad and the jihadists.

He said the Russian actions were affecting plans for joint operations with the US and moderate Syrian rebels to secure the border from jihadists.

"Of course this this is a new situation. We have to assess it with allies about what to do next and when."

- 'Repeat of similar incidents' -

The shooting-down of the Russian Su-24 warplane by Turkish fighter jets has led to a crisis in ties between Moscow and Ankara unprecedented since the Cold War.

Moscow insists the plane never strayed from Syrian airspace but Turkey says it was shot down after repeatedly violating its airspace.

Davutoglu said he was "ready to work" with Russia to prevent a repeat of the incident, warning such confrontations risked happening again without proper coordination.

"If everyone acts on his own then will always be these types of unnecessary, unintentional confrontations."

He said it was dangerous for two coalitions -- Russia and the Syrian regime on one side and the US and its allies on the other -- to be working in the same area.

"What did we learn from this? Two coalition air forces cannot make operations on the same ground at the same time without coordination," Davutoglu said.


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

Previous Report
WAR REPORT
UN announces 'press blackout' around Yemen peace talks
Geneva (AFP) Dec 8, 2015
Peace talks between Yemen's warring factions set to kick off next week will be held in a secret location, with no media access, the United Nations said Tuesday. United Nations envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed "has decided that the venue of the meeting will not be made public, in order to give the talks every chance of success," the UN said in a statement. Ould Cheikh Ahmed announced the ne ... read more


WAR REPORT
US Supreme Court gives nod to assault weapons ban

Climate-change foes winning public opinion war

Higher levels of Fukushima cesium detected offshore

Taking to the hills: tribal groups face up to climate change

WAR REPORT
India's GPS system will have better accuracy says ISRO

Russian Defense Ministry Conducts Final GLONASS Tests- Developer

More Galileo satellites broadcasting navigation signals

China to set up BDS international maritime surveillance center

WAR REPORT
The accidental discovery of how to stay young for longer

Engraved schist slab may depict paleolithic campsites

China cloning pioneer offers vision of brave new world

Fossilized Homo erectus skull found in China

WAR REPORT
Extinct 3-horned palaeomerycid ruminant found in Spain

Ivory price drop signals waning Chinese demand: report

Imperilled African penguins pose scientific mystery

A common mechanism for human and bird sound production

WAR REPORT
Russian TV host reveals HIV-positive status live on air

Indonesia's Papua battles AIDS epidemic

Fighting AIDS a top priority in western Kenya

With climate change, malaria risk in Africa shifts, grows

WAR REPORT
Key witness against China's Bo Xilai dies in jail: media

China jails author over 'Brainwashing' book: lawyer

Chinese paper chides Miss Canada over rights stance

Ma's South China Morning Post takeover a double-edged sword

WAR REPORT
U.S., U.K. help build West African partners' anti-piracy capabilities

Villagers recall fear as troops fired in 'Chapo' raid

Chinese 'thief' swallowed diamond, tried to flee Thailand

WAR REPORT
China's yuan success hinges on reform despite IMF move

China manufacturing index falls to more than 3-year low

India's economy grows 7.4 percent, outperforms China: govt

Looking for a job? Online is where it's at









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.