Russia begins first airstrike in Syria
Russia has conducted its first airstrike against ISIS in Syria, CNN reports citing a Russian Defense Ministry spokesman. The airstrike targeted ISIS military equipment, communications centers, vehicles and ammunition, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said, as part of pinpoint strikes against ISIS ground targets. But a senior U.S. administration official told CNN's Elise Labott the Russian airstrike near the city of Homs "has no strategic purpose" in terms of combating ISIS, which "shows they are not there to go after ISIL." ISIL is another acronym for ISIS. The official said the U.S. had no intention of preventing the strikes but that Russian planes didn't seem to be flying in areas where the U.S. was operating. "They are not stupid," the official said. The State Department said U.S.-led coalition missions were continuing as normal despite an advance warning and request from Russia to stay out of Syrian airspace. Earlier Wednesday, the upper house of the Russian parliament gave President Vladimir Putin approval to use the air force in Syria.
