The United States has began its military air strikes from Incirlik air Base in Turkey against ISIS terrorists in Iraq and Syria Wednesday, August 5, US officials told CNN international. Sources in turkey confirmed the report, adding that the US armed drones hit a number of targets near Raqqa, an ISIS stronghold in Syria.

The US decided to launch air strikes in their effort to defend US-backed and trained ‘moderate’ ant-Assad combatants in Syria and Iraq. Just hours before the strike, Turkish Foreign Minister Melvut Cavusoglu said the USA and Turkey had made progress in the use of the Incirlik Air Base by American military jets.

Meanwhile, Russia is ready to come to the aid of their ally Bashar al Assad, as commander of the Russian airborne division, General Vladimir Shamanov told Tass news agency. “The Russian Airborne Troops are ready to assist Syria in countering terrorists, if such a task is set by Russia’s leaders”, said Shamanov.