Russia launches massive offensive on ISIS in Syria

Warplanes paid special attention to the Saraqib-Khan Tuman supply line used by militants to deliver supplies and reinforcements to the area of Aleppo from Idlib province, Southfront reported.

The government forces have already launched a preemptive shelling if the Aqrab area in western Aleppo.

“As a result of strikes delivered by Su-33 carrier-based fighter jets and air group of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, a large gang of the Jabhat al-Nusra group was destroyed in the province of Idlib,” Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Thursday.

Three Al-Nusra field commanders were also killed a “major blow” against what now goes by the name of Jabhat Fatah Al-Sham.

But Moscow has denied reports of air bombardments in Aleppo, saying it was sticking to a moratorium on air strikes in the city.

The Russian military has upped its air defense in Syria. Additional to the S-400 system around its airport in Latakia seven S-300 systems were deployed as a screen against US cruise missile attacks. These are joined by rehabilitated Syrian S-200 system and Pantsyr S-1 short range systems for point defense.

Meanwhile Turkish-backed Syrian opposition forces were moving in to take al-Bab, about 35km northeast of Aleppo, from ISIS, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters.

In an interview with the Portuguese broadcaster RTP published on Tuesday, President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, called Donald J. Trump a “natural ally” in the fight against terrorism.

Assad said “opposing forces within the administration” could cast doubt on whether Trump “can deliver on his promises”.

In an interview last week with The Wall Street Journal, Trump suggested that once he took office he would drop American support for Syrian opposition groups fighting the Assad government.