Contents tagged with Islamic State

  • The largest dam in Syria partially collapsed as a result of the fighting near Raqqa

    The Tabqa dam on the Euphrates, Syria’s largest dam has been partially destroyed by the fighting between the Syrian Democratic Forces or SDF coalition and the Islamic State terrorist group, as reported by RIA Novosti with a reference to the Lebanese TV channel Al Mayadeen.

    The Tabqa hydroelectric power station was built in the early 1970s with the assistance of Soviet specialists. It keeps in check the Al-Assad, the largest reservoir in the country.

    Al Mayadeen reported, citing informed …

  • Russia doubts Western coalition will take Syrian Raqqa soon

    The Russian Ministry of Defense said that it does not share the French Defense Minister’s optimism regarding the Western Coalition’s operation in Syrian Raqqa, which is considered a stronghold of the so-called Islamic State.

    “It is clear to any military specialist that the liberation of Raqqa will not be a walk in the park for the international coalition,” said Major-General Igor Konashenkov, official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense, on Saturday, commenting on the statements …

  • US did not invite Russia to the meeting of the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS

    The US State Department spokesperson, Mark Toner, stated that the meeting of the global coalition to counter ISIS, with representatives of 68 countries, will take place in Washington on the 22-23 of March. No one from Russia was invited to this meeting.

    “On March 22, State Secretary Rex Tillerson will receive the heads of foreign departments and high-ranking representatives of the states which are members in the global coalition to counter ISIS,” the State Department spokesperson noted during …

  • The Kremlin: Moscow is ready to fight ISIS without US help

    Russia is ready to continue the fight against ISIS, without the help of the United States, as stated by the Press Secretary of Russian President, Dmitry Peskov, while commenting on the report by the Associated Press that US President Donald Trump plans to postpone the “deal with Russia.”

    “Moscow will continue the fight against ISIS,” Peskov said, as reported by TASS.

    It was reported earlier that Trump discussed minimizing the interaction with Russia in the fight against ISIS with his allies …

  • A former FSB officer said Russia sent spies to Europe disguised as migrants

    A Russian officer-defector stated that the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation sent its spies to Europe disguised as migrants, Die Welt reported.

    “We managed to deploy spies disguised as migrants to Europe. The results were reported to the President and he approved them,” the former high-level FSB officer known only as “Igor” said in a documentary named Putin’s Cold War, which broadcasted on ZDF German TV Channel.

    The defector was a former Russian Colonel and served as the head …

  • Russian troops in Syria mistakenly attacked the Turkish military

    Russian troops in Syria mistakenly carried out an air strike on the Turkish military. As a result, three Turkish soldiers were killed and 11 injured, according to the Turkish General Staff. The incident took place on Thursday, February 9, near the town of Al-Bab, where active hostilities are taking place. Both sides have started internal investigations in connection with the case.

    The Russian General Staff has issued a statement of condolence in connection "with the death of three Turkish …

  • Chechen leadership created two battalions for deployment to Syria

    Novaya Gazeta has reported that Chechen leadership was tasked with the creation of two battalions (600 servicemen in each) to deploy to Syria. The State Duma Deputy from Chechnya, Adam Delimkhanov, is responsible for the implementation of this task. According to Novaya Gazeta’s sources, the recruitment of personnel for these battalions has been ongoing for several months.

    The staff of the Shchyolkovsky department of the Chechen Ministry of Internal Affairs provided the details of one of the …

  • US commander of forces fighting ISIS: Weapons captured by terrorists in Palmyra pose a threat

    Weapons captured in Palmyra by militants of the so-called Islamic State pose a threat to the military coalition led by the United States. This, as reported by the BBC, was said by the US Army Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, commander of the forces of the international coalition against the so-called Islamic State.

    According to Townsend, the militants, when capturing Palmyra, allegedly seized armored vehicles and air defense systems.

    He added that there is information that indicates these …

  • Lavrov: Russia will take military measures to ensure terrorists don't flee from Mosul into Syria

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, stated that Moscow will take military measures in case militants of the so-called Islamic Statetry to flee from Mosul into Syria.

    “Mosul isn’t fully besieged. I don’t know the reason. Maybe, they were simply unable to do that. I hope that they simply were unable and not that they didn’t want to do that. At least, this corridor poses risks that Islamic State will leave Iraq and Mosul for Syria. If this happens, if …

  • Syrian rebel group claims to have killed six Russian officers

    The ‘Faylaq al-Sham’ group announced the deaths of six Russian officers as well as several Iranian and Syrian military in the province of Hama in Syria. This was reported by the SITE intelligence group, which monitors Islamist activity.

    According to representatives of the rebel group, they have "watched and followed" the killed servicemen for more than three months.

    However, the Russian Defense Ministry has denied the information about the deaths of six Russian soldiers in Syria, Interfax …