Britain accuses Russia of trying to carve out Alawite state for Assad in Syria
The war of words between Britain and Russia over Syria continues.
Britain says Russia could be trying to carve out an Alawite state in Syria for its ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, by bombing his armed opponents rather than IS militants.
The Guardian reports this morning that Britain's Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has dismissed Russia's criticism that he was spreading "dangerous disinformation."
“Is Russia really committed to a peace process or is it using the peace process as a fig leaf to try to deliver some kind of military victory for Assad that creates an Alawite mini state in the north-west of Syria?” Hammond told reporters in Rome.
From our news desk:
Iraqis Running Out Of Food, Medicine In Besieged Fallujah
Iraqi officials say tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians are running out of food and medicine in the western city of Fallujah, an Islamic State stronghold under siege by security forces.
Sohaib al-Rawi, the governor of Anbar Province where Fallujah is located, appealed to the U.S.-led coalition combating IS militants to air-drop humanitarian supplies to civilians.
Rawi said it was the only way to deliver aid to Fallujah, located some 50 kilometers from Baghdad, after militants mined the entrances to the city and stopped people leaving.
"No force can enter and secure [the delivery]...There is no option but for airplanes to transport aid," he said in an interview with al-Hadath TV on February 2.
Iraqi media reports have said several people have died due to starvation and poor medical care.
Canadian who fought IS alongside Kurds detained in Australia
A Canadian man who says he fought the IS group in Syria alongside a Kurdish militia has been detained in Australia and told he will be deported, his father has said, according to Reuters.
Robert Somerville, a Canadian veteran, was detained at Brisbane airport after he told immigration officials he fought alongside the Kurdish YPG against IS last year.
Somerville was traveling to Australia to visit his father, Richard Somerville.
It is illegal for Australians to support any armed group in Syria, according to Reuters.
A number of foreigners including from Europe and North America, have joined the YPG to fight IS but some have faced difficulties after returning home.
Joe Robinson, 22, a British veteran who fought alongside the YPG, was arrested by counter-terrorism police when he returned to the UK, and remains on police bail.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has made a number of comments this morning about the Russian air campaign in Syria and the peace talks, which I will summarize in the next few posts.
Lavrov: U.S.-led coalition avoiding dialogue with Russia over Syria
The U.S.-led coalition against IS is avoiding dialogue with Russia regarding operations in Syria and prefers instead to put forward groundless accusations against Moscow ,Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said.
"Unfortunately, our partners have preferred for four months now, starting in September, to continue to repeat unfounded allegations and avoid practical dialogue, which we have invited from the very start. Of course, this is suspicious and raises questions about the coalition's real aims," Lavrov said.
'Capricious people' have emerged among Syrian opposition delegation: Lavrov
Lavrov also commented on the Syria peace talks in Geneva, criticizing the Syrian opposition delegation by saying some in that delegation were putting forward conditions that ran contrary to agreements reached earlier.
"Capricious people have also appeared [in the delegation], who are starting to put forward preconditions that have no relation to the fundamental principles and the Geneva communique, and the Vienna documents and the UN Security Council resolution," Lavrov said.
U.S.-led coalition more effective in Syria after Russian air strikes began: Lavrov
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also claimed that that U.S.-led coalition against the IS group had become more effective in Syria since the start of the Russian air campaign there in late September.
"We showed them an example, the U.S.-led coalition against IS was not very impressive for the previous year and a half. We are glad that with the success of the Russian operation, the coalition's operation started to become much more effective," Lavrov said.
RIA Novosti, which reported Lavrov's remarks, also included an infographic to show the number of coalition air strikes in Syria and Iraq.
Lavrov: No grounds for ending Syria operation
BBC Russian has more of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's comments on Syria.
Lavrov said that he saw no grounds for Russia to end its air strikes in Syria.
"Russian air strikes will not stop while we have not really defeated the terror organizations IS and the Al-Nusra Front. I don't understand why these air strikes must stop," Lavrov said.
Lavrov added that Moscow was prepared to coordinate its war on terror with the U.S.-led coalition, despite "questions about it legitimacy."
"The only real problem lies in the insufficient legitimacy of the U.S.-led coalition: they have permission from the Iraqi authorities but not from the Syrian authorities," Lavrov said, referring to the fact that the U.S.-led air strikes against IS in Syria are being conducted without permission from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
IS kills 'spies' in Libya's Sirte
The IS group in Libya has carried out execution-style killings of two people it claimed were "spies" from Libya Dawn (Fajr Libya), a group of Islamist militias that took over the Libyan capital Tripoli in 2014.
According to analyst Oded Berkowitz, one of the victims was crucified in Sirte and the other was shot in the head in the desert.
Lebanese army kill two, arrests 27 militants including IS commander
The Lebanese army has killed two militants and arrested at least 27 more including a commander from the IS group in a raid in the town of Arsal near the Syrian border, a security source has told Reuters.
Among those detained was Abu Bakr al-Raqqawi, a local IS commander, the source said.