EU's Tusk says Russian bombings in Syria are making things worse
Top European Union official Donald Tusk denounced Russian airstrikes in Syria as helping the "murderous" government of President Bashar Assad and triggering fresh waves of refugees fleeing toward Europe, Reuters reports.
From our news desk:
Kremlin Rejects German, Turkish Accusations Over Syria
Russia says there is "no credible evidence" of civilian deaths as a result of Russian air strikes in Syria.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the comments on February 9, a day after German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was "horrified" by the suffering being caused by Russia's bombing campaign among civilians.
The spokesman also described as "wrong and absurd" accusations by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Russia was engaged in an invasion of Syria.
Moscow has also accused Ankara of planning to invade Syria.
Russia launched air strikes in Syria on September 30, helping government forces recapture some territory lost to extremist groups and other opposition fighters in central and western Syria.
Turkey shot down a Russian bomber on the Syrian-Turkish border in November, resulting in a breakdown in relations between Moscow and Ankara.
Based on reporting by Reuters and TASS
No Chechen forces in Syria, just some people acting under their own initiative: Kadyrov's spokesman
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov never spoke of any military operation in Syria in which "Chechen special forces" are taking part, Kadyrov's spokesman Alvi Karimov has said, Interfax is reporting.
But Karimov admitted that there were "some people" who were acting under their own initiative who had infiltrated "anti-government forces" and who were informing the Russian military about the locations of militant groups and their logistics.
"Ramzan Kadyrov never said that members of any sort of Chechen special forces are fighting in Syria," Karimov said.
"I think that I don't have to explain to anyone the threat of terrorism, not least when we are talking about direct threats to Russia. We have to counter this from all directions. Ramzan Kadyrov did not talk about any "Chechen special forces." There are only divisions in the Russian military forces. And he did not say anything about any sort of ground operation, in which "Chechen special forces" are allegedly taking part."
Karimov added that in Syria there were "only some young people who are there entirely on their own initiative" but did not say how many of these people were in Syria.
"And no one sent them. They report somewhere information that they know, which is of operational interest. And this turns out to be useful. Thanks to these people the locations where terrorists were being trained was established, their recruitment channels and routes through which new recruits are being sent from several countries to the conflict zone," Karimov added.
"We should not be surprised that some people entirely by their own initiative, for idealogical and religious reasons are opposed to terrorism, and are at every moment at risk of being identified and so need to act as supporters of the anti-government forces, which are the IS group, and so on."
Russian Deputy FM meets Syrian Kurds: RIA
RIA Novosti is reporting that Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov has met with the leader of the "Syrian Kurdish Democratic Party" to discuss the situation in Syria and the Genevan talks.
It is not clear precisely which organization Bogdanov has met, but presumably the Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD) whose military wing the YPG is fighting in northern Syria.
UN agency providing food to Syrians fleeing Aleppo fighting
The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) has said that it has started to provide urgently needed food to Syrians displaced by the fierce fighting in northern Aleppo province.
The food was transported from Turkey across the border into the town of Azaz, 30 kilometers northwest of Aleppo city, where thousands of people have gathered near the Bab al-Salaam border crossing.
“The situation is quite volatile and fluid in northern Aleppo with families on the move seeking safety,” said Jakob Kern, WFP’s Country Director in Syria, said in a press release.
“We are extremely concerned as access and supply routes from the north to eastern Aleppo city and surrounding areas are now cut off but we are making every effort to get enough food in place for all those in need, bringing it in through the remaining open border crossing point from Turkey.”
Iraqi forces recapture territory from IS east of Ramadi
Iraqi forces have recaptured territory from the IS group east of the city of Ramadi in Anbar province, Reuters reports.
A military statement broadcast on state television said the army, police and counter-terrorism forces had retaken several areas including the town of Husaiba al-Sharqiya, about 10 km (6 miles) east of Ramadi.
"(Our forces) also managed to open the road from Ramadi to Baghdad that passes through al-Khaldiya," the statement added, referring to a highway that links the city to the Habbaniya army base where U.S.-led coalition forces are located.
"All of Ramadi has now been liberated," Anbar Governor Sohaib al-Rawi said, adding that the handover of authority to local police from the military was going smoothly.