Russian Campaign in Syria Result of Lack of UK Intervention

The UK government's decision “not to intervene” in Syria in 2013 was a mistake that resulted in Russia taking the initiative to interfere in the conflict, the former chief of the United Kingdom's MI6 intelligence agency, John Sawers, said on Wednesday.

LONDON (Sputnik) — Russia has been conducting an anti-terror aerial campaign in the Arab country since September 2015 at Syrian President Bashar Assad's request.

“We vacated the theater and the Russians have moved in. [….] It certainly was a mistake. Chemical weapons were being used against civilians in Damascus by their own regime,” Sawers said speaking to the BBC Radio 4's Today program.

Sawers also noted that it was now impossible for Britain and the United States to implement a no-fly zone over Syria without a "risk of direct confrontation with the Russians."

The Syrian civil war has been ongoing for five years. Syrian government troops are fighting with opposition fighters and extremist groups including the Daesh and the al-Qaeda linked al-Nusra Front, now known as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham. Both organizations are banned in many countries worldwide, including Russia.