Russia: Any Use of Military Force in Syria Needs Gov’t Approval

Local Editor

Russia said no country can use military force in Syria without getting the approval of the Syrian government.

Asked about reports that the United States may launch a ground operation in Syria, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Thursday that, "The question of using military force in any form without the agreement of Damascus is for us unacceptable."

"This situation has continued for a long time, and it is one of the topics on which we fundamentally disagree with the United States," he added.

The Russian diplomat said that instead of further complicating the situation, the US should work with Moscow and look for ways to settle the Syrian crisis.

Though, The US recently announced that it is considering ground military operations in Syria.

On October 27, US War Secretary Ash Carter told the US Senate Armed Services Committee that Washington would no longer hesitate to engage in "direct action on the ground" against what he claimed are Takfiri "ISIS" positions in Iraq and Syria.

"We won't hold back from supporting capable partners in opportunistic attacks against "ISIS", or conducting such missions directly whether by strikes from the air or direct action on the ground," Carter said.

The US and its regional allies, including Turkey and Saudi Arabia, had been backing the militants fighting the Syrian government.

Since September 2014, the US, along with some of its allies, had been conducting airstrikes against purported Daesh targets inside Syria without any authorization from Damascus or a UN mandate.

The airstrikes in Syria are an extension of the US-led aerial campaign against alleged "ISIS" positions in Iraq, which started in August 2014. Many had criticized the ineffectiveness of the raids.

Russia launched its own air campaign against "ISIS" Takfiris in Syria on September 30 upon a request from Damascus.

Washington accuses Russian President Vladimir Putin of focusing its aerial attacks on foreign-backed groups that are fighting the Syria government, a claim that has been repeatedly rejected by Moscow.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team