<p>Syrian fighters who fought against the Islamic State have allegedly signed up to fight alongside Russian troops in Ukraine.</p>

<p>These include soldiers, former rebels, and experienced fighters from the 5th Division and the Quds Brigade that fought in Syria. Among them is members of the division of Brigadier General Suheil al-Hassan called the ''Tiger Force'' in Syria.</p>

<p>He was praised by Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Syria in 2017. Al-Hassan had played a crucial role in defeating militants in the country's civil war.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ukraine-ignores-russias-surrender-call-for-mariupol-471839/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>According to Ahmad Hamada, a Syrian army defector, “Russia is preparing for a greater battle.”</p>

<p>A Ukrainian diplomat told the news agency Reuters, "We are asking the Turkish side to monitor what they are bringing from Syria to Russia."</p>

<p>Almost 40,000 people from Syria have registered for combat training in Russia as per the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/city-still-has-not-fallen-mariupol-may-be-a-red-line-in-talks-says-ukraine-471755" hreflang="en">'City still has not fallen': Mariupol may be a red line in talks, says Ukraine</a></strong></p>

<p>Its head Rami Abdurrahman said, “The Russians are looking for experienced fighters. They don’t want anyone who was not trained by the Russians.”</p>

<p>Kremlin had said that it has also received approximately 16,000 applications from the Middle East.</p>

<p>Alexander Dvarnikov, Putin's newly appointed general overseeing Ukraine, had also commanded Russia's military in Syria.</p>

<p>US-based think thank Institute for the Study of War stated in its latest report, “Any change in the posture of Russian forces or pro-regime militias creates security gaps that anti-regime actors including Turkey, ISIS, al-Qaida, and Syrian opposition groups can exploit.”</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Syrian fighters who fought against the Islamic State have allegedly signed up to fight alongside Russian troops in Ukraine. These include soldiers, former rebels, and experienced fighters from the 5th Division and the Quds Brigade that fought in Syria.

Syrian fighters who fought against the Islamic State have allegedly signed up to fight alongside Russian troops in Ukraine. These include soldiers, former rebels, and experienced fighters from the 5th Division and the Quds Brigade that fought in Syria. Among them is members of the division of Brigadier General Suheil al-Hassan called the ''Tiger Force'' in Syria. He was praised by Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Syria in 2017. Al-Hassan had played a crucial role in defeating militants in the country's civil war. According to Ahmad Hamada, a Syrian army defector, “Russia is preparing for a greater battle.” A Ukrainian diplomat told the news agency Reuters, "We are asking the Turkish side to monitor what they are bringing from Syria to Russia." Almost 40,000 people from Syria have registered for combat training in Russia as per the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Also read | 'City still has not fallen': Mariupol may be a red line in talks, says Ukraine Its head Rami Abdurrahman said, “The Russians are looking for experienced fighters. They don’t want anyone who was not trained by the Russians.” Kremlin had said that it has also received approximately 16,000 applications from the Middle East. Alexander Dvarnikov, Putin's newly appointed general overseeing Ukraine, had also commanded Russia's military in Syria. US-based think thank Institute for the Study of War stated in its latest report, “Any change in the posture of Russian forces or pro-regime militias creates security gaps that anti-regime actors including Turkey, ISIS, al-Qaida, and Syrian opposition groups can exploit.” (With inputs from agencies)

Syrian fighters who fought against Islamic State sign up to fight alongside Russian troops in Ukraine: Report

A decade of war in Syria with no hope in sight

<p>Bashar-al-Assad today completed 20 years in office. He has been the president of Syria since July 17, 2000.</p>

<p>The Syrian president has been at the centre of the worst humanitarian disaster of the 21st century. Assad is the commander-in-chief of the Syrian armed forces and regional secretary of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath party’s branch in Syria. Political scientists have termed Assad family’s rule as a "personalist dictatorship".</p>

<p>Bashar al-Assad succeeded his father and won elections&nbsp;which saw no challenger in 2000, 2007 and 2014. After almost 40 years of emergency law, in 2000, Syria saw an outbreak of political activism.</p>

<p>In 2000, around 100 intellectuals called for political pluralism and reforms including an end to the emergency but the so-called Damascus Spring was shortlived and by the summer of 2001, Assad was crushing dissent as the promise of economic liberalisation faded and wealth went into the hands of the regime's favoured few.</p>

<p>Bashar's bid to draw Syria closer to the West also ended in failure even then on May 2007&nbsp;Assad won another seven-year term in a referendum. Four years later, mass protests demanding political reforms and reinstatement of civil rights rocked Syria.</p>

<p>Once received and accepted in the West, now Assad became a reviled figure. The brutal crackdown on protests and the war that killed more than 380,000 people and displaced millions&nbsp;undermined Bashar’s international legitimacy.</p>

<p>The US and European Union imposed sanctions as much of the population was pushed into poverty and the Syrian pound hit an all-time low. It triggered a fresh wave of dissent, including violence.</p>

<p>Syria was declared to be in a state of civil war in 2012 by the international committee of Red Cross as the nationwide death toll neared 20,000 but the president maintained his stand that the conflict in his country was due to enemies outside Syria.</p>

<p>In early September 2015, the Russian president provided Syria with both military equipment and training as&nbsp;Russia started military operations in Syria with the goal of stabilising the legitimate power in Syria.</p>

<p>After the election of Donald Trump as US president, Washington was no longer focused of getting Assad out but the US position changed in the wake of the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack in 2017.</p>

<p>Trump ordered missile strikes on a Syrian airbase and Assad’s government described Trump’s behaviour as "unjust" and "arrogant aggression" but in June 2017, the Russian President Putin came out in support of Bashar al-Assad and released a statement saying that the chemical attack was a "100 per cent fabrication" and carried out by people who wanted to blame Assad.</p>

<p>The United Nations and the international chemical weapons inspectors found the attack was the work of Assad regime. In November 2017, the Syrian government announced that it has signed the Paris climate agreement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Bashar’s reign is a far cry from the days when Syria was a major independent strategic player in the region - a time when Assad had political and military sway over Lebanon and controlled the tempo of operations against Israel.</p>

<p>What started as an internal matter in the form of public protests in 2011 against an authoritarian regime quickly fell into sectarian fault lines which gave regional and foreign players room to exacerbate the situation and drive it to the point of no return as things stand today.</p>


Bashar-al-Assad today completed 20 years in office. He has been the president of Syria since July 17, 2000. The Syrian president has been at the centre of the worst humanitarian disaster of the 21st century.

Bashar-al-Assad today completed 20 years in office. He has been the president of Syria since July 17, 2000. The Syrian president has been at the centre of the worst humanitarian disaster of the 21st century. Assad is the commander-in-chief of the Syrian armed forces and regional secretary of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath party’s branch in Syria. Political scientists have termed Assad family’s rule as a "personalist dictatorship". Bashar al-Assad succeeded his father and won elections which saw no challenger in 2000, 2007 and 2014. After almost 40 years of emergency law, in 2000, Syria saw an outbreak of political activism. In 2000, around 100 intellectuals called for political pluralism and reforms including an end to the emergency but the so-called Damascus Spring was shortlived and by the summer of 2001, Assad was crushing dissent as the promise of economic liberalisation faded and wealth went into the hands of the regime's favoured few. Bashar's bid to draw Syria closer to the West also ended in failure even then on May 2007 Assad won another seven-year term in a referendum. Four years later, mass protests demanding political reforms and reinstatement of civil rights rocked Syria. Once received and accepted in the West, now Assad became a reviled figure. The brutal crackdown on protests and the war that killed more than 380,000 people and displaced millions undermined Bashar’s international legitimacy. The US and European Union imposed sanctions as much of the population was pushed into poverty and the Syrian pound hit an all-time low. It triggered a fresh wave of dissent, including violence. Syria was declared to be in a state of civil war in 2012 by the international committee of Red Cross as the nationwide death toll neared 20,000 but the president maintained his stand that the conflict in his country was due to enemies outside Syria. In early September 2015, the Russian president provided Syria with both military equipment and training as Russia started military operations in Syria with the goal of stabilising the legitimate power in Syria. After the election of Donald Trump as US president, Washington was no longer focused of getting Assad out but the US position changed in the wake of the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack in 2017. Trump ordered missile strikes on a Syrian airbase and Assad’s government described Trump’s behaviour as "unjust" and "arrogant aggression" but in June 2017, the Russian President Putin came out in support of Bashar al-Assad and released a statement saying that the chemical attack was a "100 per cent fabrication" and carried out by people who wanted to blame Assad. The United Nations and the international chemical weapons inspectors found the attack was the work of Assad regime. In November 2017, the Syrian government announced that it has signed the Paris climate agreement. Bashar’s reign is a far cry from the days when Syria was a major independent strategic player in the region - a time when Assad had political and military sway over Lebanon and controlled the tempo of operations against Israel. What started as an internal matter in the form of public protests in 2011 against an authoritarian regime quickly fell into sectarian fault lines which gave regional and foreign players room to exacerbate the situation and drive it to the point of no return as things stand today.

Bashar-al-Assad completes 20 years as president amid turmoil in Syria

Arab Spring, unrest and military clashes mark Bashar al-Assad's 20-year rule

<p>US President Donald Trump on Sunday told <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kremlin-says-onus-is-on-turkey-to-rein-in-militants-in-syrias-idlib-223225">Syria and Russia</a> to stop "bombing the hell" out of Syria's last jihadist stronghold Idlib.</p>

<p>"Hearing word that Russia, Syria and, to a lesser extent, Iran, are bombing the hell out of Idlib Province in Syria, and indiscriminately killing many innocent civilians. The World is watching this butchery. What is the purpose, what will it get you? STOP!" he said on Twitter shortly before he was to depart for a state visit to Britain.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hearing word that Russia, Syria and, to a lesser extent, Iran, are bombing the hell out of Idlib Province in Syria, and indiscriminately killing many innocent civilians. The World is watching this butchery. What is the purpose, what will it get you? STOP!</p>
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1135332642851893250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>His comments came after Syrian NGOs on Friday decried international inaction in the face of mounting violence in the northwestern region.</p>

<p>As well as killing dozens of civilians, the recent bombardments by Syrian and Russian forces in northwest Syria have pushed 300,000 people towards Turkey's border, the NGOs said at a press conference in Istanbul.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Friday that almost 950 people had been killed in the latest clashes in Idlib.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A September deal was supposed to avert a full-out regime offensive on the province and adjacent areas held by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.</p>

<p>But the jihadists have refused to leave the area, and the deal is on the verge of collapse as Syrian and Russian forces allied to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad ramp up air strikes and rocket fire.</p>

<p><strong>Watch: Israel and Syria exchange fire amid soaring regional tensions</strong></p>

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<p>Iranian fighters and Hezbollah paramilitary forces are also stationed in Syria to back the Assad regime.</p>

<p>The worsening unrest in Idlib comes with tensions soaring between Iran and the United States.</p>

<p>The stand-off has been simmering since the US last year withdrew from the 2015 nuclear treaty Iran reached with major world powers.</p>


US President Donald Trump on Sunday told Syria and Russia to stop "bombing the hell" out of Syria's last jihadist stronghold Idlib. "Hearing word that Russia, Syria and, to a lesser extent, Iran, are bombing the hell out of Idlib Province in Syria, and indiscriminately killing many innocent civilians.

US President Donald Trump on Sunday told Syria and Russia to stop "bombing the hell" out of Syria's last jihadist stronghold Idlib. "Hearing word that Russia, Syria and, to a lesser extent, Iran, are bombing the hell out of Idlib Province in Syria, and indiscriminately killing many innocent civilians. The World is watching this butchery. What is the purpose, what will it get you? STOP!" he said on Twitter shortly before he was to depart for a state visit to Britain. Hearing word that Russia, Syria and, to a lesser extent, Iran, are bombing the hell out of Idlib Province in Syria, and indiscriminately killing many innocent civilians. The World is watching this butchery. What is the purpose, what will it get you? STOP! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 2, 2019 × His comments came after Syrian NGOs on Friday decried international inaction in the face of mounting violence in the northwestern region. As well as killing dozens of civilians, the recent bombardments by Syrian and Russian forces in northwest Syria have pushed 300,000 people towards Turkey's border, the NGOs said at a press conference in Istanbul. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Friday that almost 950 people had been killed in the latest clashes in Idlib. A September deal was supposed to avert a full-out regime offensive on the province and adjacent areas held by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. But the jihadists have refused to leave the area, and the deal is on the verge of collapse as Syrian and Russian forces allied to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad ramp up air strikes and rocket fire. Watch: Israel and Syria exchange fire amid soaring regional tensions × Iranian fighters and Hezbollah paramilitary forces are also stationed in Syria to back the Assad regime. The worsening unrest in Idlib comes with tensions soaring between Iran and the United States. The stand-off has been simmering since the US last year withdrew from the 2015 nuclear treaty Iran reached with major world powers.

'STOP!' bombing, killing in Syria's Idlib: US President Donald Trump

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Syrian fighters who fought against Islamic State sign up to fight alongside Russian troops in Ukraine: Report

A decade of war in Syria with no hope in sight

Bashar-al-Assad completes 20 years as president amid turmoil in Syria

Arab Spring, unrest and military clashes mark Bashar al-Assad's 20-year rule

'STOP!' bombing, killing in Syria's Idlib: US President Donald Trump