Russia proposes joint airstrikes with U.S.-led coalition in Syria

MOSCOW — Russia on Friday proposed conducting joint airstrikes with the U.S.-led coalition in Syria against an al-Qaeda-linked group and other factions, marking a potential new strategy by Moscow toward more coordination with the West and allies in the Syrian conflict.
There was no immediate official response from Washington, whose airstrikes with partners have concentrated on Islamic State strongholds in Syria.

But such a proposal could face a tough road over Russia’s alliance with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose forces were greatly aided last year by the intervention of Russian warplanes and other military assistance.
Several Pentagon officials said they were not immediately aware of any plans to change the current arrangement for separate U.S. and Russian air operations in Syria.

[U.S.-Russia cooperation frays in Syria]

The Pentagon now holds periodic video conferences with Russian officials on those operations, but the communications are limited to flight safety. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters.
Speaking at a gathering of military and political leaders in Moscow, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu proposed joint airstrikes beginning Wednesday against forces that have not signed a recently negotiated cease-fire.
He also warned that Russia had the right to strike unilaterally.
“We propose . . . a joint action between the Russian Air Force and the U.S.-led coalition to plan and conduct strikes against the al-Nusra Front, which does not support the cease-fire, as well as against convoys of arms and fighters crossing the Syrian-Turkish border,” Shoigu said, according to a translation of the televised remarks by Russian state media.

[56 hours with the Russian army in Syria]

He also said that Moscow would “reserve the right to unilaterally conduct airstrikes against forces of the international terrorist organizations and militant groups that did not join the truce.”
At the moment, both countries are intervening separately in Syria.

A U.S.-led coalition of Western and Middle Eastern countries has launched thousands of strikes in the country since September 2014, while also backing moderate rebels battling Assad.
Russia intervened last September, striking a wide array of targets including the Islamic State but also more moderate forces opposed to Assad.
Senior Russian and U.S. military officers also meet regularly in Geneva, under a new plan to step up monitoring of cease-fire violations by both the Syrian government and opposition forces.
The cease-fire, begun in late February, has broken down in recent weeks as government forces, backed by Russia, attacked what it said were Nusra terrorists interwoven with rebels. Russia, which largely stopped its own air strikes in support of the government, also considers “terrorists” some of the opposition groups that are party to the truce.
The United States has long resisted Russian entreaties to join forces in Syria against al-Nusra and the Islamic State. Not only do they disagree on what other groups should be ineligible for the cease-fire, the Obama administration has said that no peace can be established as long as Assad remains in office.

In addition, the United States and NATO officially ceased all formal military cooperation with Russia following its 2014 annexation of Crimea, in Ukraine. NATO has also bolstered its forces in parts of eastern Europe amid worries over Russian aggression.

Missy Ryan and Karen DeYoung in Washington contributed to this report.