Russian troops have arrived in Syria to aid the Assad regime in its battle against various rebel groups and against the “Islamic State”, Israel’s defense minister said Thursday.
Minister Moshe Yaalon said Moscow has sent military advisers and a combat unit as part of a plan to build a new air base near the coastal city of Latakia, which lies in Syrian strongman Bashar Al-Assad’s “Alawite heartland”.
“As far as we understand, at this stage we are talking about a limited force that includes advisers, a security team and preparations for operating planes and combat helicopters,” Yaalon told Israeli reporters.
The claim was the latest indication of a Russian military buildup in Syria that has raised U.S. and NATO concerns, according to AP.