Russia: Talks With US on Coordination to Attack ISIS Capital of Raqqa

Russian Deputy FM: Concrete Coordination Ongoing

by Jason Ditz,

According to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov, the Russian and US militaries are engaged in “concrete coordination” talks with an eye toward ousting ISIS from its capital city of Raqqa, in northern Syria.

Syrian troops recently took the ancient city of Palmyra from ISIS, a bit further south, but there has been no real effort by anyone to advance on Raqqa for months, since the Kurdish YPG forces have shifted attention further west to the ISIS holdings around Jarabulus.

Having the US and Russia directly cooperating could make a push against Raqqa much more effective, though it would raise questions about which force’s allies ultimately end up in control of the city.

That could be another job for the YPG, which is one of the few factions that is being aided by both the US and Russia, though neighboring Turkey would doubtless express outrage at the nations turning over another city to the Kurds, as they’ve been attacking YPG targets and accusing them of “terrorism” throughout the war.

http://news.antiwar.com/2016/03/30/russia-talks-with-us-on-coordination-to-attack-isis-capital-of-raqqa/