Syrian conflict - latest updates, October 15
Iran enters Syrian conflict
Iran has openly entered the Syrian conflict sending 3000 of its elite troops of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps in support of the President Bashar Assad.
Iranian troops have been deployed to central and northern parts of Syria where they have been joined by Hezbollah fighters.
On October 10, General Hossein Hamadani , one of the commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps was killed in the area of the Khanasser Highway in Southern Aleppo.
General Hamadani was reportedly responsible for recruiting and organizing a government offensive to free the Kuweires Military Airport from the ISIS siege.
Another commander of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, Colonel Farshad Hasounizadeh, was also killed in Syria on October 13.
Iranian media reported that Farshad Hasounizadeh was not on a current duty but was only a former colonel of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Russian air strikes continue.
On Thursday the Russians reported 33 new air strikes.
It is reported that Syrian rebels have been pushed back from their position in the vicinity of the village of Salma in Latakia district.
Russian media reported that Chechnya born Abu-Bakr Ash-Shhshani, a leader of the militant group Akhrar ash-Sham, has been killed by an air strike.
Akhrar ash-Sham is the largest militant group within the Jaish al-Fath [The Army of Liberation] after the Jabhat al-Nusra.
Akhrar ash-Sham, which includes many Northern Caucasus natives, participated in the capture of Eriha, Idlib, and Jisr-ash-Shugura in the spring of this year.