Russian Volunteers May Go Fight in Syria as Jets Jolt Turkey
- Turkish military says MiG-29s lock on to F-16s on patrol
- Prime Minister Davutoglu vows to defend airspace from anyone
Wreckage of buildings at the site of the alleged Russian airstrikes targeting the Jabal al-Zawiya town of Idlib, Syria on Oct. 3, 2015.
Photographer: Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty ImagesRussia signaled volunteers may head to Syria to fight against Islamic State and other rebels threatening Bashar al-Assad’s government, the latest sign of a deepening military involvement in a messy conflict where Russian fighter jets have already faced off with Turkish warplanes in a violation of borders.
Admiral Vladimir Komoyedov indicated some Russians, including those who took part in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, may join forces with the Syrian army, the Interfax news agency cited the head of the State Duma’s defense committee as saying Monday. His comments come after Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem told the United Nations General Assembly last week that “terrorism cannot only be fought from the air.”