One of Russia’s top generals in Syria has been killed in an attack by the Islamic State militant group (ISIS), with Moscow blaming the U.S. for his death as it battles to defeat the jihadist cult in its last stronghold in the country.
The Russian Defense Ministry said late Sunday that Lt. Gen. Valery Asapov “was at a command post of Syrian troops, assisting the Syrian commanders in the operation for the liberation of the city of Deir Ez-Zor.” Russian state news agency Tass reported that Asapov was killed “as a result of a mortar shelling by ISIS.” Russia and Syrian government forces are waging an offensive against ISIS in Deir Ez-Zor province.
Russian officials blamed Washington’s policies in Syria for Asapov’s death. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said “the death of the Russian commander is the price paid with blood for the hypocrisy of American policy in Syria,” according to Kremlin news agency RIA.
The U.S.-led coalition is bombing ISIS positions in Syria in support of a Kurdish-Arab force, while the Russian air force and Iranian forces are backing the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against moderate rebels and jihadists in a bid to wrestle back large swathes of territory across the war-ravaged country. – READ MORE
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