Russia prepared to deploy Troops to Syria if requested

Russian Airborne Troops.

Responding to journalists’ questions about whether Russia was prepared to deploy troops to Syria to participate in military operations, Peskov replied:

"If there is a request, than in the framework of bilateral contacts, in the framework of bilateral dialogue, it will, of course, be discussed and considered. For now, it is rather difficult to speak hypothetically.”

The Syrian Foreign and Expatriates Minister and Vice Premier, Walid Al-Moallem, said on Thursday, that Damascus would ask Russia for a deployment of troops to fight alongside the Syrian Arab Army if such need arose and Moscow would be prepared to answer Damascus’ call. Al-Moallem thanked Russia for providing sustained and timely assistance to Syria since the onset of the war  in 2011.

Earlier nsnbc reports documented that the United Kingdom, the USA, Qatar and Turkey have been involved in preparing the war on / in Syria since 2007. Although Saudi Arabia also was involved since 2007, the Gulf Monarchy began to play an increasingly important role after the decisive defeat ofpredominantly Qatari-backed brigades in 2012.

Dmitry Peskov, for his part, noted that Russia’s presidential council for civil society and human rights has received no appeals from Russia’s troops who do not want to go to Syria. Peskov said: "At least, the council for human rights has not reported about this,”, adding that such appeals would be considered for sure, "but I have not heard of any statements on this issue”.

Russian troops that would be deployed to Syria would most likely be contract soldiers, not conscripts. Russian media report that Russia’s contract soldiers have sent an inquiry to the council, a body set up to assist the president in the protection of rights and freedoms.

Syrian Foreign and Expatriates Minister Walid al-Moallem in Geneva, Switzerland.

Addressing the current, limited presence of Russian troops in Syria, Walid Al-Moallem rebuked reports according to which Russian troops already are fighting alongside Syrian troops. Al-Moallem said:

"There is no joint fighting on the ground with Russian troops, but if we felt such a need, we would study it and demand. … So far the Syrian army is able (on its own) and what we need frankly is more of the ammunition and qualitative weapons to face the type of qualitative weapons of these terrorist groups”. 

Al-Moallem reiterated that Damascus would not hesitate to ask Moscow for the deployment of troops if there arose such a need.

CH/L – nsnbc 18.09.2015

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