Russia offers air cover for anti-Assad rebels

Russia said on Saturday it was ready to provide air support for Western-backed moderate rebels battling both jihadists and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as Moscow presses on with its diplomatic offensive over the conflict.

Speaking after a surprise summit between Syria's embattled leader and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin this week, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that moves should be made toward presidential and parliamentary elections in the war-torn country.

Representatives of Syria's Western-backed opposition sounded incredulous, saying Russia should first stop bombing moderate rebels and that talk of elections was premature.

On the ground, Syrian troops backed by Russian airstrikes battled Islamic State fighters in a bid to restore a key supply line to Aleppo.

At least 28 IS fighters and 21 troops and pro-government militia were killed in the battle for the road leading to the government-held part of Aleppo.

International monitors also reported Russian strikes in northern Hama province and said six people, including three children, were killed in what was believed to be a Russian strike on the village of Al-Barqun in Aleppo province.

Russia does not want to take into account the specific interests of only Assad or the opposition, only the interests of Syria as a whole, Lavrov said in an interview with Vesti v Subbotu TV host Sergei Brilev on Saturday.

"We do not want to take into account specific interests of Bashar al-Assad, nor specific interests of the opposition," Lavrov said. "We want to take into account the interests of Syria. And it is important for Syria to have a peaceful environment, to end the war as soon as possible and not let the terrorists get a chance to seize power in Damascus or in any other part of Syria," Tass news agency reported.

AFP - AP

(China Daily 10/26/2015 page11)