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Wednesday, October 7

Putin: We'll be glad to coordinate actions with Free Syrian Army if we can find it

RT, October 7:

French President Francois Hollande has proposed uniting the forces of the so-called Free Syrian Army and President Assad’s army to battle ISIS terrorists, President Putin revealed. It could create the ground for political settlement in Syria, he added.

"During [my] recent visit to Paris, French President Francois Hollande expressed an interesting idea, saying it is worth trying to unite the efforts of [Syrian President Bashar] Assad's army and the so-called Free Syrian Army,” Putin said during a meeting with Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu.

He said, however, that Russia does not know where exactly the FSA is or who heads it.

“If we assume that this [FSA] is the military wing of the so-called healthy part of the opposition, then uniting their forces [with Assad’s army] against the common enemy – ISIS, Jabhat al-Nusra and other terrorist organizations – could create good ground for the political settlement in Syria,” Putin added.

According to the Russian president, a political solution should end conflicts like the one in Syria.

“Such conflicts should end through solving political issues,” he said.

READ MORE: RT EXCLUSIVE: Mi-24 gunships guarding Russia's hub of anti-ISIS ops in Syria

Putin praised the preliminary results of the Russian Air Force operation in Syria against Islamic State militants.

"We know how complicated these anti-terrorist operations are. It is too early to review the results, but what has been done deserves high positive assessment."

READ MORE: ISIS in Syria using mosques as shelters, civilians as shields – Russian Defense Ministry

Russia will give support to the Syrian Army’s fight on the ground against Islamic State, Putin said.

“As for further work, we hope that it will be synchronized with the actions of the Syrian Army on the ground and military-space forces will effectively support the offensive operation of the Syrian Army [against terrorists].”

Putin ordered the Russian military to continue cooperation with the US, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iraq and Iran on Syria.

“We should continue working with our foreign partners. Because without their participation, without the participation of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, US, Iraq, Iran and neighboring countries, it will be hard to organize such work in a proper way,” Putin said.

Moscow launched its military operation against Islamic State terrorists at the request of the Syrian government on September 30. Since the start of the operation, the Russian military have destroyed at least 112 objects belonging to jihadists.

Among them are 19 commanding points, 12 ammunition depots, 71 armored vehicles and six factories that produced explosive devices, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said Wednesday.

[END REPORT]

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