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Kerry warns of "grave concerns" about Russia's intention in Syria

Xinhua, October 1, 2015 Adjust font size:

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday warned of "grave concerns" about Russia's intention in Syria, hours after Moscow launched its first airstrikes against Islamic State(IS) in the war-torn country.

"We would have grave concerns should Russia strike areas where ISIL and al-Qaida-affiliated targets are not operating," Kerry said at a meeting on countering terrorism at the United Nations, using an alternate acronym for the extremist group.

"Strikes of that kind would question Russia's real intentions fighting ISIL or protecting the Assad regime," Kerry said, referring to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government, a long-time ally of Russia.

Russian air forces have begun pinpoint air strikes on IS ground positions in Syria, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said earlier Wednesday. The operation came after Russia's Federation Council, the upper house of parliament, authorized the use of air forces in Syria.

In defending the operation, President Vladimir Putin said in a government meeting on Wednesday that "the only true way to combat international terrorism, which is rampant in Syria and its neighboring countries, is to act pre-emptively."

During its first air strikes against the IS in Syria, Russian air forces carried out 20 sorties, hitting eight targets, including a command center, according to Russian Defense Ministry.

At the UN meeting, Kerry said the U.S."supports any genuine effort" to fight IS and al-Qaida-affiliated groups.

"If Russia's recent actions and those now ongoing reflect a genuine commitment to defeat that organization, then we are prepared to welcome those efforts and to find a way to de-conflict our operations and thereby multiply the military pressure on ISIL and affiliated groups," the top U.S. diplomat said.

"But we must not and will not be confused in our fight against ISIL with support for Assad," he added.

Kerry also rebuffed Russia's demand that U.S. warplanes leave Syrian airspace to make way for their own airstrikes.

"We have conducted a number of strikes against ISIL targets in Syria over the past 24 hours, including just an hour ago, and these strikes will continue," Kerry said.

He emphasized that the U.S.-led coalition, which comprises more than 60 countries, has been taking on IS for more than a year. Endit