US to track jihadists in Syria with spy planes

DAMASCUS: The United States is poised to send spy planes into Syria to track Islamic State jihadists whose advances have sparked international concern and American air strikes in neighbouring Iraq. A US official confirmed the plans after Syria said on Monday it was willing to work with the international community, including Washington, to tackle extremist fighters.

But American officials said they did not plan to ask Damascus for permission for the flights, despite Syrian insistence that any military action on its soil must be coordinated in advance.

International concern about IS has been rising after a lightning offensive by the group through parts of Iraq and a string of brutal abuses, including the murder of US journalist James Foley. The United Nations has accused IS and affiliated groups in Iraq of carrying out "ethnic and religious cleansing" that could amount to crimes against humanity.

On Monday, Damascus said for the first time that it was willing to work with the international community, including the United States and Britain, to tackle "terrorists" including IS and Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate Al-Nusra Front. But Foreign Minister Walid Muallem also made it clear that Syria would not accept unilateral military strikes by the United States or any other country.

"Any violation of Syria's sovereignty would be an act of aggression," he said. There would be "no justification" for strikes on Syrian territory "except in coordination with us to fight terrorism".

SYRIA SEEKS COOPERATION

Muallem said Syria was seeking cooperation within an international or regional coalition, or at the bilateral level within the framework of a recent UN Security Council resolution targeting IS and Al-Nusra.

But it remains unclear whether the international community will be willing to cooperate publicly with President Bashar al-Assad's regime, which has been engaged in a brutal effort to put down an uprising that began in March 2011. Washington has accused Assad's regime of using chemical weapons against his own people and carrying out other widespread abuses.............................http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/us-to-track-jihadists-in/1330980.html
26/8/14
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Related:

• White House says Obama has taken no decision on Syria airstrikes

• Syria ‘ready’ to work with U.S. against ISIS

• Lavrov and Muallem “stressed that any actions against terrorist and extremist elements should be made in strict compliance with the principles and norms of international law, including the respect of states’ sovereignty”, it said.

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2013

• Αναβάλλεται το χτύπημα στη Συρία για μετά τις 9/9/13. -Ο Ομπάμα θα ζητήσει την έγκριση του Κογκρέσου. (2 VIDEOS)