Sanders Calls for Anti-Daesh Coalition Including Moscow, Washington

US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders said that there should be an international coalition to defeat the Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh) militant group, which would include both Moscow and Washington.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — There should be an international coalition to defeat the Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh) militant group, which would include both Moscow and Washington, US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders said.

"What I believe has got to happen is there must be an international coalition, including Russia, a well-coordinated effort," Sanders said at the Democrat debate Saturday, as quoted by The Washington Post newspaper.

Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with the army loyal to Assad fighting several opposition factions and militant groups, such as the Islamic State and the Nusra Front. The Dash is also active in Iraq, having taken over large areas of both countries.

The United States currently leads an international coalition against the Daesh. The coalition has been launching airstrikes against the Daesh positions in Syria and Iraq since 2014 without approval of the United Nations or the Damascus authorities.

In September, Russia launched its own aerial campaign against the Islamic State (ISIL, or Daesh in Arabic) and other terrorist groups at the request of Syrian President Bashar Assad. The terrorist group is outlawed in many countries worldwide, including Russia.