WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Kerry also noted that the best thing to help eliminate the Islamic State from Syria would be a political transition complete with the departure of Syrian President Bashar Assad from office.
"And that is why we are stepping up the fight against Daesh [Islamic State] by resupplying the moderate opposition fighters in northern Syria to help them consolidate the gains that they have made across a broad swatch of territory and to begin to pressure the chief city of ISIL [Islamic State] which is al-Raqqah," Kerry stated.
On Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal reported the US government was considering deploying a small number of ground forces in Syria embedded among Kurdish Peshmerga troops or the moderate Syrian opposition fighters.
"We’re also enhancing our air campaign in order to help drive Daesh [Islamic State], which once dominated the Syria and Turkey border, out of the last 70 mile stretch that it controls," Kerry explained.
On Wednesday, Operation Inherent Resolve spokesperson, US Army Colonel Steve Warren, said that the United States will augment its ongoing airstrikes against the Islamic State’s industrial targets in an effort to destroy the group’s ability to command and control military operations.
Russia, which has undertaken an its own air campaign against the Islamic State in Syria since September 30, considers the Assad government the sole legitimate authority in the country.
