US and Russia to hold talks on Syria air strikes

Speaking after a joint press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the UN Headquarters on Wednesday, both diplomats agreed their militaries should talk “as soon as possible”.

This comes after Russian-led air strikes in Syria targeted areas it claims are held by Islamic State (IS) militants. However, the US, France and Nato have expressed concerns that the Russian strikes targeted opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is a Russian ally.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov brushed aside their criticisms, telling reporters in New York “if it looks like a terrorist, if it acts like a terrorist.. it’s a terrorist, right?”

The US is also targeting IS militants with air strikes in both Syria and Iraq, and was warned by Russian authorities to stay out of Syrian airspace while they led air strikes in the war-torn country.

Wednesday’s strikes in the rebel-held area of Homs reportedly killed 36 civilians, including women and children in Russia’s first air attack in Syria since the country’s civil war began in 2011.

The attacks continued on Thursday, with at least 30 strikes hitting rural areas near the northwestern town of Jisr al-Shughour, held by an alliance of insurgents including al-Qaeda’s Nusra Front, Lebanon-based al-Mayadeen TV reported.

Sergei Lavro and John Kerry discuss Russian air strikes

A Kremlin spokesman said the Syrian air strikes target a “list of well-known terrorist organisations agreed with Syrian military”.

President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said: “These organisations (on the target list) are well-known and the targets are chosen in coordination with the armed forces of Syria.”

Mr Peskov also said that the strikes are financed only by Russia and there is no contribution from Syria and that it was “too early to say” if Putin was “satisfied” with the strikes so far.

Speaking in Moscow on Wednesday, Putin said the air strikes would be limited and said he hoped Assad was ready for political reform and a compromise for the sake of his country and people.

The move by Russia has prompted fears from the US, western allies and activists that none of the areas targeted were controlled by IS militants.

Mr Kerry said the United States would not object to Russian military action in Syria – as long as it was directed against IS and groups linked to al-Qaeda.

He said: “We also agreed that it is imperative to find a solution to this conflict and to avoid escalating it in any way and see it intensify by forces beyond anybody’s control.”