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Saudi Arabia concerned over Russian strikes in Syria.
Saudi Arabia demands that Russia stop its military operations against targets in Syria.Being a leading adversary of Assad regime, the Saudis noted Russian strikes had caused civilian casualties while failing to target the hardline Islamic State militants Moscow says it opposes.Speaking at the United Nations in New York on Wednesday, a senior Saudi diplomat said: "The delegation of my country expresses its profound concern regarding the military operations which Russian forces have carried out …
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Russian strikes in Syria: day 2.
For a second day in a row now Russia has been launching air strikes in Syria.Reportedly, the strikes targeted sites in the north-west held by the Army of Conquest rebel alliance, as well as areas in Homs and Hama provinces.Russia claims that with some 20 missions carried out on Wednesday it struck 12 Islamic State (IS) positions in 24 hours, destroying a command centre and two arms depots.Although the US fears it was the positions of the opponents of Russia's ally, Syrian President Bashar al- …
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Russia-backed separatist blocking aid in east Ukraine.
In his statement on Tuesday, Ivan Simonovic, the assistant U.N. secretary-general for human rights noted that efforts by Russia-backed separatist rebels to block "desperately needed" humanitarian aid from reaching people in conflict-ridden eastern Ukraine could amount to crimes against humanity. Mr. Simonovic criticized as a "great mistake" the move by rebels who control the eastern city of Luhansk to kick out U.N. and humanitarian aid agencies.
"I do think that currently the military warfare …
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$20 million military aid to Ukraine.
President Obama has authorized the U.S. State Department to provide up to $20 million to Ukraine to fund military training and other similar activities.This came one day after Ukraine announced that US instructors would start training the country’s special forces.
“The authority... to direct the drawdown of up to $20 million in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense and military education and training to provide assistance for the Government of Ukraine,” the Presidential …
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Dozens of civilians killed in Russian airstrikes.
At least 27 civilians are reported to have been killed Wednesday in first Russian airstrikes on Syrian towns near the city of Homs.Earlier today the upper house of the Russian parliament gave President Vladimir Putin approval to use the air force in Syria, according to state media.
"The Federation Council unanimously supported the President's request -- 162 votes in favor of granting permission," Kremlin Chief of Staff Sergey Ivanov said, according to ITAR-Tass.
The vote came after a …