Russia has finally gotten involved in the ISIS fight, and the actions have caused controversy across the globe. Many commend Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, for his immediate action and for following through on what he said he would do; others feel that his military group is being careless and attacking non-IS groups.
It has been confirmed that the Russian military has commenced air strikes in Syria, and reportedly twelve IS targets have been hit. These targets include one command center and two arms depots. Many people question the accuracy of these results, as the Russian military has also focused on non-IS areas.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claims that the Free Syrian Army is not a target. In a statement, he said this: “If it acts like a terrorist, if it walks like a terrorist and if it fights like a terrorist, it is a terrorist. Yes? We don’t consider Free Syrian Army a terrorist group. We believe that the Free Syrian Army should be part of the political process, like some other armed groups on the ground composed of the Syrians’ patriotic opposition individuals.“
