Syria rebels reject Russian demand to withdraw from Aleppo: rebel official

[SAT]

Syrian rebels on Wednesday rejected Russian demands that they withdraw from Aleppo by Friday evening, an official in one insurgent faction said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mi...+World+News%29

A number of sites have been reporting Russia is going to do a full scale attack on Syria while the US is preoccupied with the election.



Vladimir Putin to launch 'full-scale military attack' on Syria's Aleppo as early as this week

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-n...-scale-9161499

But most are saying next week. Some even in the

" chaos"

of the election

[SAT]

Re: Syria rebels reject Russian demand to withdraw from Aleppo: rebel official

Carter says talking to Turkey about role in seizure of Raqqa

U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said on Wednesday the plan to envelope Raqqa, Islamic State's main stronghold in Syria, would take place soon with the forces available and that talks continued with Turkey on the role it could play "further down the road."
"We intend to go there soon with the force that is capable of doing that and enveloping the city of Raqqa ... the final seizure of Raqqa, we continue to talk to Turkey about that and a possible role for Turkey in that further down the road," Carter said at a press conference.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mi...+World+News%29

[SAT]

Re: Syria rebels reject Russian demand to withdraw from Aleppo: rebel official

Russia says resumption of Syria peace talks delayed indefinitely

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mi...+World+News%29

And today..

U.S. coalition should begin Raqqa offensive while Mosul ongoing: France

France said on Sunday the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State should begin the battle on the group's Syrian bastion Raqqa while the offensive on Mosul is underway, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said.
"I believe it will be necessary," he told Europe 1 radio.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mi...-idUSKBN1310CG

U.S.-backed Syrian alliance declares attack on Islamic State in Raqqa

The new offensive ratchets up pressure on Islamic State at a critical moment, with its fighters already battling an assault by Iraqi security forces on their remaining Iraqi stronghold in the northern city of Mosul.
A statement issued by the U.S.-backed Syria Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish and Arab armed groups, said the long anticipated campaign, called Euphrates Anger, started late on Saturday.

The United States would be coordinating air strikes with the SDF, which includes the powerful Kurdish YPG militia and has been the main partner on the ground in Syria for the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mi...+World+News%29