Russian Defense Minister: Russia in talks with US on joint air strikes in Syria

Russia has begun to coordinate efforts with the United States to deliver joint strikes on terrorists in Syria, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said on Friday.

Earlier in the day, Shoigu came forward with a proposal to US defense officials and the US-led coalition to deliver joint air strikes on terrorists in Syria from May 25, Tass news agency reported on Friday.

"We’re proposing to the United States as a co-chairman of the International Syria Support Group to start joint operations of the Russian air task force and the US-led aviation from May 25 to plan and deliver strikes against Jabhat al-Nusra groups, illegal armed formations that are rejecting the ceasefire regime, and also against the caravans with weapons and ammunition, armed units illegally crossing the Syrian-Turkish border and in these operations exclude strikes against civilian facilities and populated areas," Shoigu said.

"We think that adoption of these measures will allow to get to the process of a peaceful solution to the conflict within Syria. Certainly, these measures are coordinated with the leadership of the Syrian Arab Republic. Yesterday we began to coordinate these measures with our colleagues in Oman and Geneva," Shoigu added.

According to the minister, Russia reserves the right to deliver unilateral strikes from May 25 on militants who failed to join the ceasefire in Syria.

Source: MENA