Russia Keeps Up Buildup at Syria Airbase
Russia kept up its military buildup in Syria on Saturday with a fresh transport flight into a new airbase in the heartland of its regime ally, a Syrian military source told Agence France Presse.
It was the 15th straight day that a Russian transport aircraft had flown in troops and equipment to the Hmeimim base in Latakia province on the Mediterranean coast, the source said on condition of anonymity.
"For the past two weeks and again today a Russian cargo plane has landed every morning at Hmeimim," the source said, adding that they all had fighter escorts.
U.S. satellites have recorded increased activity by Russian forces at the base inside the Bassel Assad civil and military airport.
Washington and NATO say that recent spottings of helicopters, bombers, ground attack aircraft, tanks and soldiers prove that Russia is building an airbase.
If such a buildup is officially verified -- and more importantly deployed -- it would be the Russia's first military engagement in a distant theatre of war since the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan in 1979.
One senior Syrian official called Russia's military involvement a "turning point" in more than four years of devastating civil war.
"Russia wants to remind the U.S. that its relations with Damascus date back more than 50 years and that this country is in its sphere of influence," the official said.
26 September 2015, 14:29
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Putin was outraged that NATO did not have UN Security Council decision behind them before they attacked Libya and ousted Kaddafi. In Syria, Russia/Putin forgot the Security Council ;)
26 September 2015, 16:44
10
Russia have been in Syria since the soviet times, this is not even news, they just stepped up their presence a little.
Just amusing to see how Pro-western people goes into shock when they see this, I ask them. It's either Assad or ISIS/Qaeda there are no alternative people, people such as this guy texas failed on all of his predictions.
Just like the U.S they said 15.000 "moderate" rebels where on the way, they onstead turned out to be a group of 75 people that acted as a supply platoon for Al Nusra front.
26 September 2015, 20:30
10
This is the result of the worst political miscalculation in modern history since the ottomans sided with axis powers in ww1! Erdogan has truly been trumped! He allowed the "migrants" to leave turkey for Greece, bombed the kurds (the only other military force capable of fighting ISIS), which has now resulted in a civil war in turkey and Russia's decisive move in Syria! Erdogon's stooge of a PM even insulted the europeans by claiming they are christian racists! He thought a war against the kurds would allow him an early election victory to reinstate his party in power! now turkey has provoked Europe, the USA, Russia, Britain and even Australia in declaring Assad as the key to a political solution in Syria! Russia's move has ended Turkey, Qatar and Saudi's game in Syria. ISIS and Al Nusra (Al Qaida) in syria is finished, thank God!!
26 September 2015, 20:46
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peacelover, it was the israelis that have bombed syrian government forces numerous times of the past 4 years and never the "rebels". They even accepted the injured "rebels" into israel and transported them to israeli hospitals until the israeli druze of the Golan began blocking roads to stop the ambulances did they stop. Israel is allied with Turkey and Saudi Arabia. This is clear so why would israel then be allied with Assad? They went to Moscow to beg for russia not to down their f16s!
27 September 2015, 01:33
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Now, I dare the "turkey" Turks step up their support to Daesh.
