Russia willing to consider bombing ISIS targets in Iraq
The spokesperson of the upper house of Russia’s parliament, Valentina Matviyenko, said Wednesday that Moscow will contemplate carrying out airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq if a formal request is made by the Iraqi authorities, but no such request has been made yet. The spokesperson, who is currently visiting Jordan, claimed that Russia’s only goal in Syria is the defeat and destruction of ISIS.
DEBKAfile’s sources reported on October 2 that Russia and Iraq reached an agreement under which the Russian air force may use the Al Taqaddum Airbase, 74 kilometers west of Baghdad, for airlifts of forces to Syria as well as the bombing of ISIS targets in northern areas of Syria and Iraq.