According to the official Pentagon spokesman, Peter cook, now “became clear” that the Russian force in Syria focused on combating “Islamic state” (organization banned in Russia)
“From the very beginning they [Russia] said that their main goal in Syria is [a fight with] ISIL, and now they’re doing it. And that’s good,” said Peter cook, speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, March 29. But, at the same time, he stressed that the U.S. does not plan to cooperate with Russia in the military sphere in Syria.
Cook also noted that Russia is playing “a constructive role in the maintenance of the ceasefire”. “And, again, it’s good,” said the Pentagon spokesman.
Answering specifying question of the journalist, is it still the Pentagon believes Russia’s role in Syria is not constructive, as mentioned earlier, cook said: “I can say that it has become more constructive.”
Russia launched an air operation in Syria on 30 September 2015. Moscow has repeatedly said that the main aim of surgery is to combat ISIL and other terrorist groups. Syrian human rights activists and Western countries, in turn, has repeatedly accused Russia of attacks on representatives of the moderate Syrian opposition. Moscow these accusations were rejected.
At the end of February 2016, with the assistance of Russia and the States parties to the Syrian conflict agreed on the ceasefire regime, which applies to all engaged in the Syrian forces, in addition to groups deemed terrorist by the UN security Council. Officially, the ceasefire began to operate in the country on February 27.
On 14 March the President of Russia Vladimir Putin at a meeting with the head of the defense Ministry Sergei Shoigu and foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov ordered the withdrawal of the main part of the Russian military forces from Syria. According to him, the tasks assigned to the Ministry of defence were generally fulfilled. Later, the defense Ministry said it will continue to inflict strikes on the positions of militants. Last week Syrian government forces with the support of Russian aviation released ancient Palmyra, which was captured by ISIS militants in may 2015.
