Hollande: "We Will Strike Against IS Again And Again'
French President Francois Hollande has vowed that France and its allies are prepared to strike against the IS group "again and again."
"[IS] is provoking us on the worst possible way," Hollande said, according to Reuters.
Violent Clashes Still Taking Place In Northern Latakia: Monitor
Violent clashes between rebels and Syrian government forces are still taking place in several areas of Jabal al-Turkmen and the outskirts of Jabal al-Akrad in northern Latakia province, according to the Britain-based monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
SOHR notes that Russian support has enabled pro-government forces to advance and take control of 36 towns and villages in Latakia in the past two weeks, of which the rebel strongholds of Salma and Rabia are the most important gains.
'Russia Seeks Rebels Who Killed Pilot Of Downed Su-24 In Rabia': Turkish Media
The Turkish media is reporting that Russian soldiers are searching in the newly-recaptured town of Rabia in Syria's Latakia province for rebel fighters who killed Oleg Peshkov, the pilot of the downed Russian Su-24 jet in November.
Peshkov was shot after parachuting from his jet, which had been downed by Turkish F-16s. The incident prompted a diplomatic crisis between Turkey and Russia.
According to Hurriyet News:
Alparslan Çelik, a Turkish citizen who claimed to have shot Russian pilot Oleg Peshkov, and his group were in the rebel-held Rabia town in the western coastal province of Latakia, which was recently recaptured by Syrian pro-government forces, where soldiers were looking to “take revenge,” Russian DNI and Lifenews have reported.
Is this claim accurate? In fact, Hurriyet appears to be relying on a mistranslation of the Russian sources.
In its report of the storming of Rabia on January 24, DNI.ru headlined that "Syrians Are Taking Revenge For The Russian Pilot" but did not say that soldiers were actively seeking Peshkov's alleged killer. Instead, the report noted that the rebels involved in Peshkov's death were reportedly hiding in Rabia. Vesti.ru also reported that the rebels who killed Peshkov might be hiding out in the town.
The Russian media has made an emotional link between the capture of Rabia and the downing of the Su-24. Pro-Kremlin media is reporting that Syrian government troops involved in the capture of Rabia had fought in t-shirts with Peskov's photograph on them.
"Some of our lads who took part in the offensive in the north of Latakia wore t-shirts with a portrait of Oleg Peshkov. In memory of the heroism of the dead commander who was killed right here," RIA Novosti quoted a Syrian commander as saying.
Kremlin Deflects Questions On Military Op In Syria To Defense Ministry
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has told reporters this morning that any questions about the Russian military operation in Syria should be addressed to the Defense Ministry.
"The air force is in Syria where it is carrying out its mission. Regarding that -- where it is concentrated, this issue should be addressed by professionals, our defense office," Peskov said.
Russia Denies Reports It Plans New Air Base Near Qamishli: Ministry
Russia's Defense Ministry has denied Western media reports that Moscow intends to build a new air base in Syria near the Turkish border.
The reports late last week suggested that Russia was looking to establish a new air base near Qamishli in northeastern Syria.
Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said that there was no need for a new base because the flight time for Russian warplanes to any target in Syria was just thirty minutes.
"The publication by the British outlet 'The Times' of speculation on this matter is an amateurish farce or a clumsy attempt to cover up the movement by Turkey of a large number of troops to the Syrian border near Qamishle," Konashenkov said.
11 Islamist Militants Killed In Missile Strike In Idlib: Monitor
At least 11 Islamist militants from Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate the Al-Nusra Front and other Islamist groups were killed along with five civilians when a ballistic missile hit a building in Salqin in Idlib province, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has said.
Including Syrian Kurdish YPG in talks would undermine process -- Turkey
Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said that including "terror groups" like the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia in the Syrian opposition in peace talks would undermine the process.
Syrian Opposition To Meet Jan. 26, Blames Russia For 'Obstacles'
The Syrian opposition is set to meet on January 26 to discuss efforts by the UN to convene delayed peace talks, opposition spokesman Salim al-Muslat has said, Reuters is reporting.
Muslat blamed Russia and the Syrian government for putting obstacles in the path of the talks, which were scheduled to begin today in Geneva.
"We want to realise pure humanitarian matters. They are not preconditions. It is an international resolution at least part of which must be implemented, so we see there is seriousness and good will in this matter," al-Muslat said on Saudi-owned Arabic news channel Arabiya al-Hadath.
"Unfortunately, it is not possible to sit and talk to anyone without the suffering being lifted first."
AFP is reporting that Europol, the law enforcement agency of the European Union, has said that the IS group is planning large-scale attacks focussed on Europe.
More details to come soon.
Britain Examining Latest IS Propaganda Video
Britain is examining a propganda video published by the IS group's media wing on January 24, a spokeswoman for British Prime Minister David Cameron has said, calling the video "another move from an appalling terrorist group that's clearly in decline and in retreat."
The video claimed to show the last statements of nine of the militants who took part in the November 13 Paris attacks and contained an apparent threat to the UK.