A Sukhoi Su-27K fighter takes off from the heavy aircraft carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov of the Russian Northern Fleet. © Oleg Lastochkin / Sputnik
On January 2, the Turkish state-run news agency “Anadolu Agency” released a video of alleged joint Russian-Turkish airstrikes against ISIS targets near the city of al-Bab in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo.
The video was aimed to “confirm” that the Russian Aerospace Forces were supporting Turkish forces clashing with ISIS terrorists in the area. However, it just provides a drone look at targets hit by warplanes.
The Turkish daily “Hürriyet Daily News” reported on January 2:
Turkish and Russian warplanes have struck Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) positions near Syria’s al-Bab, a strategic town Turkey and Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) elements are trying to capture from the jihadist group, the Turkish Armed Forces said in a written statement early Jan. 2.
Turkish warplanes destroyed eight ISIL targets in al-Bab, Bzagah and Tadif, killing 22 ISIL militants on Jan.1, while Russian jets hit ISIL elements in Dayr Kak, eight kilometers southwest of al-Bab, on Jan. 1.
No official comment on these reports by the Russian Defense Ministry is available online.
Turkey needs help?! And Russia is helping?? Al Bab is not turkish ground! Wtf?!?! … Fucking games… Thx for help but do Not Forget to get the Fuck Out!!! … ALLAH, SYRIA, BASHAR U BAS…
It should be noted that Russian air is also hitting ISUS south of Al Bab, closer to the SAA lines. When time is right Syria will launch offensive from Kweires area. It appears that Russia and Turkey have made an agreement. If part of it is to reduce support for Jihadist in Idlib, this would be GREAT for SAA! Perhaps Turkey will get support if they concentrate on ISUS, and a stop line has been agreed upon? It sounds like a win-win to me. SAA does not need to control Al Bab for now. Erdogan’s main concern is that the Kurds do not link up there.
I think USA will change Syrian politics with Trump in favor of FSA in order not to allow Turkey to get closer to Russia.
It is hard to understand why USA allow Iran to be more effective in Syria while the Iran biggest enemy of Israel? A strong SAA is a major threat to Israel.