Russia's Military Operations In Syria Are Impacting U.S. And Turkish Air Operations Against The Islamic State (Update)

An S-400 "Triumf" antiaircraft missile system. © Kirill Kallinikov / Sputnik

Stratfor: Russia Forces a U.S. Shift in Northern Syria

Moscow's assertive stance since a Turkish fighter downed a Russian Su-24 in late November has started to affect Washington and Ankara's air operations over Syria. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a Dec. 17 interview that he sees no prospect of improving ties with Turkey. Putin then dared Turkey to fly over Syrian airspace in the wake of Russian deployments of air defense assets in the country. Earlier Dec. 17, Bloomberg reported leaks from unnamed White House officials indicating that the U.S. Air Force had temporarily halted manned aerial missions inside an area the U.S. military designates "Box 4," also known as the Azaz corridor, which is west of the Euphrates River along the Turkish border. U.S. and Turkish aircraft had been supporting rebel groups combating the Islamic State in the region. The Pentagon was forced to suspend aerial operations here for all but drones when Russia deployed SA-17 surface-to-air missile systems to the area. These systems are backed up by long-range strategic surface-to-air missile systems based in Latakia province, northwest Syria. Russia also ramped up air operations near the Turkish border, interfering with U.S. and allied support for rebels in the area.

Previous Post: Russia's 'No-Fly Zone' In Syria Is Hampering U.S. Air Operations Against The Islamic State

WNU Editor: Russian air defenses are not the only ones that are impacting U.S. air operations .... apparently other countries are developing and deploying the same technologies and are forcing the Pentagon to rethink how it conducts air-missions .... Red storm rising: Pilots facing deadlier air defenses (Air Force Times)

U.S. Continues To Limit Its Bombing Against Islamic State Training Camps

U.S. coalition warplanes in Syrian airspace after conducting air strikes against ISIS militants. (File photo: Reuters)

Washington Free Beacon: U.S. Continues to Limit Airstrikes Against ISIS Camps

Only 20 camps struck since May.

President Obama said for the first time this week that U.S. and allied airstrikes are targeting ISIS training camps in Iraq and Syria, but new figures reveal only 20 camps were hit in recent months.

Since May, U.S. and allied air forces conducted 17 attacks hitting a total of 20 camps in Syria and Iraq, according to the U.S. military command in Iraq.

Critics in the Obama administration and U.S. military say ISIS has been operating more than 60 training camps since 2014 in areas of Syria and Iraq. The camps are said to be producing an estimated 1,000 fighters a month.

The officials voiced frustrations that ISIS training camps are not being vigorously struck.

“These camps give them a continuous, fresh flow fighters,” said one official, “and little is being done to destroy them.”

WNU Editor: Civilian casualties .... it is all about "rules of engagement" and civilian casualties. In the meantime thousands of recruits are trained to wage carnage and mayhem.