BICOM

The Russian Navy has sent its largest task force to the Mediterranean Sea since September 2015 to support the Syrian regime’s assault on Idlib.

The new force travelled to the Mediterranean from the Black Sea via the Bosphorus and consists of 13 ships, mostly frigates, a missile corvette, and two submarines. The frigates are armed with long range cruise missiles. NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu said: “The Russian Navy has dispatched substantial naval forces to the Mediterranean, including several ships equipped with modern cruise missiles. We will not speculate on the intention of the Russian fleet, but it is important that all actors in the region exercise restraint and refrain from worsening an already disastrous humanitarian situation in Syria. NATO is not present in Syria, but we support the efforts of the United Nations to achieve a lasting political resolution to the conflict.”

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said yesterday that the Russian military was in talks with rebel leaders  in Idlib to reach a settlement. Shoigu said the aim of the talks was to reach a ‘peaceful resolution’ similar to agreements in Eastern Ghouta and Deraa.

A senior Russian General claimed on Monday that the US was preparing for a possible strike on Syria. Major-General Igor Konashenkov said that the destroyer USS Ross entered the Mediterranean on 25 August armed with 28 Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of hitting any target in Syria.

On Tuesday,  Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported that the United States offered to withdraw its forces from Syria in return for an Iranian withdrawal from southern Syria. U.S. intelligence agency representatives reportedly met last month in Damascus with senior officials in the Syrian regime’s security establishment. The Americans apparently set three conditions for their withdrawal; an Iranian withdrawal from southern Syria, written confirmation that US companies would receive a portion of the oil market and intelligence sharing with the US about terrorsit suspects. US officials have not commented on the report.  There are currently US military personnel deployed at the al-Tanf base near the Jordanian-Syrian-Iraqi border triangle as well as forces located east of the Euphrates River.