Pentagon refuses to share intel on Daesh with Russia
The US Defense Department says it will not share intelligence on Daesh (ISIL) terrorists in Syria unless Moscow changes its stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a report says.
Ever since Russia launched an air campaign against Daesh in Syria nearly three months ago, Moscow has been offering to share intelligence with the US-led coalition fighting against ISIL, urging Washington to do the same.
However, despite months of extensive diplomatic efforts by Russia, the US Defense Department is still refusing to share information with Moscow.
“We are not going to cooperate with Russia on Syria until they change their strategy of supporting Assad and instead focus on ISIL,” Pentagon spokesperson Lt. Col. Michelle Baldanza told the Sputnik news agency on Friday.
Syria has been grappling with a deadly crisis since 2011, which has claimed the lives of more than 250,000 people.
Upon a request from Damascus, Russia has been conducting airstrikes against Daesh and other terrorist groups in Syria since September 30.
The US and Russia have opposite views regarding the fate of President Assad. Washington insists Assad does not have a role in Syria’s future, whereas Moscow believes only the Syrian people must decide the future of their country.
The US and some of its Arab allies have been carrying out airstrikes since September 2014 inside Syria without any authorization from Damascus or a UN mandate. The US-led coalition has done little to stop the Daesh's advances in parts of Syria.
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