Kremlin Denies Russia, Syria, Iran Created Center in Baghdad to Fight ISIL

Earlier on Friday, Fox News citing information from Western special services said that Russia, Syria and Iran had allegedly organized a center in Baghdad in an attempt to begin coordinating efforts with Shiites against the Islamic State.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Reports that Russian, Syrian, and Iranian military branches have allegedly created a coordination center in Baghdad for the fight against the Islamic State are false, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday.

“We have already said there are many reports that are untrue,” Peskov said.

Syria has been mired in a civil war since 2011, as government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fight several opposition and radical Islamist militant groups, including the Nusra Front and ISIL.

Since the beginning of the war, the United States and some of its allies have supported the moderate Syrian opposition and called for Assad's resignation, while Russia and Iran recognized Assad as the only legitimate Syrian authority.

On Tuesday, the Iranian deputy foreign minister for Arab and African affairs said that Moscow and Tehran had agreed to enhance their coordination with Damascus on a political settlement of the ongoing Syrian civil war.