Moscow – Russia wants to conduct joint bombing with U.S.-led coalition against terrorist groups in Syria starting next week, the Minister of Defence, Sergei Shoigu said on Friday.
“The campaign, which would begin next week Wednesday, should target al-Nusra Front and other terrorists, as well as caravans supplying such groups with weaponry’’, Shoigu said.
The U.S. Defence Department, however, said it had not received any such request from the Russians.
“We do not collaborate or coordinate on any operations in Syria,” Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis said.
He added that the Russian focus is on supporting the Syrian regime, while the U.S. is concentrated on defeating Islamic State.
The U.S. and Russia support opposing sides in the Syrian civil war, but they agree that certain terrorist groups there must be eliminated.
The powers helped broker a ceasefire in Syria in February that does not include UN designated terrorist groups such as al-Nusra Front. (dpa/NAN)