Russian Defense Ministry: S-400 has been deployed in Syria

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Moscow, SANA – Russian Defense Ministry announced that the Russian army has deployed the advanced S-400 anti-air system in Hmeimim airbase in Lattakia countryside.

Sputnik News Agency quoted an official source at the Ministry as saying on Thursday that S-400 system is now deployed and will operate in coordination with the Fort air defense system on the Moskva guided-missile cruiser off the coast of Lattakia.

Vladimir Kozhin, Russian presidential aide on military-technical cooperation, said the system will not be sold to Syria and will be returned to Russia once its air operation against terrorism is finished.

The S-400 is capable of intercepting all modern attack methods, including ballistic, cruise and tactical missiles and airplanes and helicopters. It has a range of 400 km and an altitude of 27 km.

http://sana.sy/en/?p=62748

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1. Russian Public Hawkish on Syria, Terrorism – Poll

Nearly half of Russians think that French authorities should respond to the terror attacks in Paris on Nov. 13, which left 130 people dead, by “stepping up its fight against IS and fostering international cooperation in combating terrorism,” according to a poll by independent Russian pollster the Levada Center, the Kommersant newspaper reported Thursday.

This course of action was supported by 44 percent of respondents, with a further 41 percent saying that France should tighten up its immigration system. A third (33 percent) thought that some form of control over France's Muslim population was necessary to prevent radicalization.

“Humanitarian” measures proved far less popular, with 5 percent of respondents believing that France needed to review its Middle Eastern policy and halt its air strikes in Syria.

An earlier Levada poll, whose results were published on the center's website on Oct. 10, showed that 72 percent of respondents supported Russian air strikes targeting IS sites, with 33 percent saying they did so “without reservation.”

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/russian-public-hawkish-on-syria-terrorism--poll/550716.html

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2. Turkish Weapons Convoy Pounded by Russian Fighter Jets in Syria

Russian warplanes have targeted the Turkish trucks which were carrying weapons to the Takfiri terrorists near Azaz town in Aleppo on Wednesday.

Also on Wednesday, the Syrian and Russian warplanes intensified their air raids on positions of the Takfiri terrorists across Aleppo province.

The Russian and Syrian airstrikes hit the Takfiri militants' positions in the Southern countryside of Aleppo, the Arabic-language al-Mayadeen television said.

There were no immediate reports of possible casualties among the terrorists.

http://en.alalam.ir/news/1763685

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3. Syrian forces, Hezbollah kill ISIS member wanted for Beirut bombings

The Syrian army and Lebanon’s Hezbollah fighters have killed a Daesh member involved in terrorist bombings that took the lives of 44 people in south Beirut earlier this month.

The terrorist killed in the joint operation had transported the two bombers who detonated their explosives among a crowd in the Borj al-Barajneh neighborhood of Beirut on November 12.

Some 240 others were wounded in the explosions which also targeted a security post in Hussaineya Street.

According to Lebanese officials, the terrorists initially planned to send five attackers to a hospital in the area but changed their plan due to heavy security presence.

http://en.abna24.com/service/middle-east-west-asia/archive/2015/11/26/721665/story.html

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4. UK to Step Up Cooperation With Russia, Iran in Anti-ISIL Fight – Cameron

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"We will intensify our diplomatic engagement, to build trust between the parties and to deliver an inclusive settlement for the people of Syria. That includes working with Russia and Iran, in order to build the consensus that will allow for a more effective and coordinated international campaign against ISIL [IS]," Cameron said in a statement to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

http://sputniknews.com/europe/20151126/1030795939/isil-uk-cooperation-fight.html

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5. Russia 'plans sanctions' against Turkey over jet downing

Russia is preparing wide-ranging economic sanctions against Turkey over the downing of one of its jets on the Turkey-Syria border.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said the measures could include halting joint investment projects.

He said he hoped to get the sanctions drafted within the next two days.

Turkey has released what it says are recordings of warnings to the Russian SU-24 aircraft against violating its airspace.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34933608

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6. “I want pay back” Pilot of plane shot down by Turkey vows to avenge comrade’s death

THE surviving downed Russian jet pilot says he’ll be back fighting missions in Syria as “payback” for the death of his commander who was machine gunned while parachuting.

Captain Konstantin Murakhtin, who was rescued by special forces from rebel-held territory after his plane was downed by Turkey on Tuesday, has also insisted that he was given no warning that his plane was violating Turkish airspace.

Meanwhile Turkey claims it had no idea the jet it shot down was Russian.

But in response furious President Vladimir Putin is deploying his feared S-400 anti-aircraft battalions to Latakia, Syria – which could threaten British RAF jets stationed at UK bases in Cyprus.

http://thestar.ie/i-want-pay-back-pilot-of-plane-shot-down-by-turkey-vows-to-avenge-comrades-death/

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7. U.S. Sanctions Russians With Financial Ties to Syrian Regime

The U.S. Treasury Department on Wednesday announced sanctions against a Russian businessman who heads the World Chess Federation, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, accusing him of assisting Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Other targets of the latest sanctions, brought against a total of four individuals and six entities, include a dual Syrian and Russian citizen, George Haswani, accused of serving “as a middleman for oil purchases by the Syrian regime from ISIL [Islamic State].” Sanctions also target Russian Financial Alliance Bank, co-owned by Ilyumzhinov, and Mudalal Khuri, the Treasury Department said in an online statement.

The measures are part of U.S. attempts to put financial pressure on Assad, whom Washington wants to step down, and to cut off the financial flow to Islamic State.

“The Syrian government is responsible for widespread brutality and violence against its own people,” said Adam Szubin, acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said in a statement. “The United States will continue targeting the finances of all those enabling Assad to continue inflicting violence on the Syrian people.”

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/u-s-sanctions-russians-with-financial-ties-to-syrian-regime/550707.html

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8. UPDATE 1-Turkey's Erdogan says Russian response to downed jet "emotional" and "unfitting"

Nov 26 Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday dismissed "emotional" and "unfitting" suggestions that projects with Russia could be cancelled following Turkey's downing of a Russian warplane near the Syrian border.

In an escalating war of words, he responded to Russian accusations that Turkey has been buying oil and gas from Islamic State in Syria by accusing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his backers, which include Moscow, of being the real source of the group's financial and military power.

The downing of the jet on Tuesday was one of the most serious publicly acknowledged clashes between a NATO member and Russia for half a century, and further complicated international efforts to battle Islamic State militants in Syria.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev ordered his government on Thursday to draw up measures that would include freezing some joint investment projects and restricting food imports from Turkey.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/26/mideast-crisis-russia-turkey-erdogan-idUSL8N13L2HW20151126?rpc=401

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12. Turkey urges Russia to drop 'emotional' stance

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hit back at Russia on Thursday for levelling economic threats on his country, calling on Moscow to drop its "emotional" stance after Turkish jets downed a Russian warplane that breached its airspace from Syria.

The president's remarks come as Russian officials accused Turkey of fomenting Islamic extremism and enacting trade restrictions and checks against a range of Turkish exports in a move that is further deteriorating bilateral ties between the Black Sea neighbours.

Russia is pursuing the wrong strategy by seeking to demonise Turkey, target Turkish business interests and allow attacks on its embassy in Moscow, Mr Erdogan said, adding that the measures undermined a strategic partnership. The president also dismissed Russia's allegation that its jet had been shot down by Turkey in a "planned provocation," saying that Turkish forces "absolutely" didn't target Russia.

"We do not find it correct to expand an incident -- where the whole world finds us to be right -- into political and economic areas," Mr Erdogan said. "If the same violation happened again today, Turkey would respond once again in the same manner."

http://www.businessspectator.com.au/news/2015/11/27/international-news/turkey-urges-russia-drop-emotional-stance

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9. Turkey Sends 20 Tanks, 18 Jets to Border: Readies for War with Russia

Turkey has moved 20 tanks and 18 fighter jets to her border with Syria as tensions with Russia continue.

Military sources from Turkey said the tanks were moved by rail to an armored brigade at the western border with Syria.

Reports also say 18 fighter jets were sent on a patrol exercise near the border.

A military source told Turkey’s Anadolu agency: “Accompanied by police and gendarmes, 20 tanks were sent by rail from Turkey’s western provinces by railway to Gaziantep in the south of the country, and then redirected to the Syrian border.”

http://en.alalam.ir/news/1763664

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10. Report says 50 U.S. troops in Syria to aid Kurdish fighters

DAMASCUS, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- A total of 50 U.S. military personnel arrived in northern Syria on Thursday to aid Kurdish fighters against Islamic State (IS) militants, pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV reported.

The U.S. personnel entered Syria from Turkey through the Murshid Binar border crossing, the report said, adding that some of them reached the predominantly-Kurdish city of Ayn al-Arab, also known as Kobane, in the countryside of the northern province of Aleppo, while the rest reached the Kurdish areas in the city of Qamishli in the northeastern province of Hasakah.

The report provided no further details, but last month, U.S. President Barak Obama announced that he had ordered several dozen special operations troops into Syria for the first open-ended mission by U.S. ground forces there.

The White House said the troops will number "fewer than 50," and advise local forces fighting the IS but not play a direct combat role.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-11/26/c_134858901.htm

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11. Germany Sending Tornado Jets to Syria to Help France Fight ISIS

In the aftermath of the attacks in Paris, Germany has changed policy and decided to join the fighting against Islamic State in Syria.

A senior lawmaker for Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives confirmed on Thursday that Germany will deploy Tornado reconnaissance jets to support France.

"Germany will be a more active contributor than it has been until now," Henning Otte, defence expert for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) said in a statement on Thursday.

"Not only will we bolster our training mission in northern Iraq but we will, among other things, make a contribution to the fight against IS terror with Tornado reconnaissance jets." The German army previously operated these jets in Afghanistan.

http://www.haaretz.com/world-news/1.688581

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13. . nt

[dixiegrrrrl]

14. Thank you for putting all that info on one place.

Very helpful.

I was born too late for WW2, looks like I get to see WWW3....
hopefully it will be limited to the sandpit, but I suspect African will not be spared.

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15. I think they will settle it down.

The thing that worries me is that Putin will be too vindictive, and force Turkey to do something (more) stupid. But I don't think he will.

He's shown a gambling streak in the past, but he's also been circumspect about not going too far.

The War Party is not happy at all, but there doesn't seem to be much they can do about it at the moment.

As it looks, the French and Russians seem to be pushing the sealing of the Turkish-Syrian border, which would be and excellent step in the right direction.

You are most welcome. It's nice to know someone pays attention.

[Cayenne]

16. Thank you +1

I a astonished nobody here understands how important this conflict is. Syria is only discussed when it can't be ignored.

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17. We are not encouraged to participate, are we?

We the people are not seen as stakeholders who give "buy in" to their plans, we are cattle to be kept quiet and fed and managed as cheaply as possible until it's time to slaughter us.

Happy Turkey Day, mine went very well, no politics, everybody was glad to see each other.