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Russia’s Success in Syria Forces US to Ramp Up Airstrikes Against ISIL

© Sputnik / Dmitry Vinogradov / Go to the mediabankRussian aircraft at Hmeymim Air Base in Syria
Russian aircraft at Hmeymim Air Base in Syria - Sputnik International
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The pledge by US Defense Secretary to step up the US-led campaign against ISIL proves that Russia is making progress in fighting terrorism, Russian Senator Franz Klintsevich said.

Pilots onboard of the US Marine fighter jet aircrafthave flown missions into both Iraq and Syria, part of the over 6,800 airstrikes carried out since August 2014. - Sputnik International
US Coalition Conducts Fewer Airstrikes in Syria Since Russia's Involvement
The progress made by Russia in its fight against Islamic State (ISIL) militants in Syria is forcing the Pentagon to change plans and ramp up its aerial operations, Russian Senator Franz Klintsevich said.

Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Washington would intensify its aerial campaign against ISIL, "including with additional US and coalition aircraft and a heavier rate of strikes."

"How can we explain the words by US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter that the US will intensify its military campaign against ISIL? It only means that Russia is making progress in fighting the terrorists," Klintsevich told journalists.

According to him, Carter twisted the truth when he said that the US would not let Russia change the coalition’s plan in Syria. 

"The effect of the Russian campaign is already visible. In this context, the US and its allies just cannot wait and see any longer," he underscored.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter - Sputnik International
Boots on the Ground: Pentagon to Launch 'Direct Action' in Syria and Iraq
On September 30, Russia launched airstrikes against ISIL positions in Syria. The operation was requested by the legitimate government of Bashar al-Assad. Up until now, the Russian Air Force has conducted over 1,000 sorties and destroyed hundreds of terrorists, dozens of command points, depots and other ISIL facilities.

Earlier, the US Embassy in Moscow said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Barack Obama had agreed on the common interest in fighting ISIL in Syria. Both leaders also underscored that Russian and the US should establish a contact line to avoid accidental collisions of their troops.

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