Syria to Benefit From Russian Airstrikes If Opposition Not Targeted

Member of the Syrian Democratic Forum opposition party Samir Aita said that it was important to differentiate between Syrian opposition troops and the al-Qaeda linked Nusra Front.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia’s decision to launch airstrikes against extremist targets in Syria will help stabilize the country as long as positions of Syrian armed opposition are not affected, member of the Syrian Democratic Forum opposition party Samir Aita told Sputnik on Wednesday.

"This initiative can be effective if it is aimed at liberating some areas controlled by [ISIL] and not the Syrian military opposition after the Iraqi Army and the Iraqi militia, Iranians, Americans and French have been trying to do so for two years and haven’t succeeded," Aita said.

A US-led coalition of Gulf Arab and Western countries has been bombing ISIL targets in the Middle East for over a year. Iran was reported to have launched a separate air campaign to help Syrian President Bashar Assad. France has recently extended its operation into Syria, while Russia announced today its military involvement to dismantle ISIL.

Aita warned that if Russia were to strike at Syrian opposition forces fighting against the Syrian government, this would mean a direct involvement in a civil war.

"It will become a very risky game because that would mean that Russia is involved directly in the Syrian conflict," he said.

Aita added it was important to differentiate between Syrian opposition troops and the al-Qaeda linked Nusra Front.

Syria has been mired in a civil war since 2011, with the army loyal to Assad fighting against several opposition factions and numerous militant groups, including Islamic State and the Nusra Front.