PHOTO: Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Sultan and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Sunday

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UPDATE 1215 GMT:

Rebels say they have dealt a setback to the regime-Russian “Hama salient” offensive, killing the commander of the Syrian military’s operations room and almost 50 troops.

The regime force was attacking the town of Kafr Naboudeh at the northern point of the salient, close to rebel-held Idlib Province, when it was ambushed. Rebels said they also captured eight Syrian troops and destroyed three tanks and two armored troop carriers.

Photos of some of the slain troops have been posted.

The regime’s offensive included numerous tanks. It was preceded by shelling, missiles — with 120 in a single launch, according to rebels — and more than 25 airstrikes “destroying entire districts” in the town.

A rebel press officer said clashes are ongoing on the outskirts of Kafr Naboudeh.

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Rebels destroy a regime tank:

Celebrations after the battle:

ORIGINAL ENTRY: While continuing Russia’s military intervention in Syria on Sunday, President Vladimir Putin concentrated on the political front, meeting the Saudi Defense Minister, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, in Moscow.

No details were given of the discussion, but Russia has been trying to persuade Riyadh — as it has succeeded with the US, Britain, and Germany after its military build-up — to accept Syrian President Assad’s stay in power during talks for a political transition.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir publicly held Riyadh’s line that it had concerns about Russia’s policy. Counterpart Sergei Lavrov was conciliatory, explaining that Moscow understood Saudi concerns and that the two countries shared the aim of preventing the establishment of a “terrorist caliphate” in Syria.

[An unnamed Saudi source told Reuters on Monday that the Deputy Crown Prince and al-Jubeir had taken the tough line that “the Russian intervention in Syria will engage them in a sectarian war”, warning of “the dangerous consequences of the Russian intervention”.

He said, “The Saudis will continue strengthening and supporting the moderate opposition in Syria.”]

Saudi Arabia collapsed a Russian-Iranian initiative for high-level talks in mid-August when al-Jubeir — in front of Lavrov at a press conference in Moscow — insisted on Assad’s departure before discussions developed.

However, Moscow then put in dozens of warplanes, advanced battlefield vehicles and weapons, and hundreds of “advisors” for the Syrian military. On September 30, it further stepped up pressure on other countries — as well as Syrian rebels — with the launch of bombing, followed a week later by the Syrian Army’s offensives in Latakia and Hama Provinces.

Putin supported his initiatives on Sunday with declaration that Moscow’s bombing was an unprecedented effort for “courtesy and reason”, inviting others to “unite efforts against this evil”:

We have never ever been notified of similar missions, but we have chosen to do so. Of courtesy and reason, of the intention to demonstrate we are open for joint efforts.

The easiest option would be to join our efforts and thus to legalize own actions in the Syrian territory, as since we have a mandate from the official authorities, the easiest would be to join us and to work under that mandate.

He conditioned any political talks on agreement to fight Syria’s rebels: “When a division of international terrorists stands near the capital, then there is probably little desire for the Syrian government to negotiate, most likely feeling itself under siege in its own capital.”

There was also a taunt to the US and its allies:

If you know better than we the situation in the territory — you have been there for over a year, illegally, but still there, so if you know better, which I doubt, but still, then why not give targets to us, we shall work on them.

Putin rubbed in the point with more mockery of the US effort — abandoned last week — to train and equip rebels against the Islamic State:

At first they planned to train 12,000 people, then they said they will train six [thousand], then they have trained only 60. And later on it became clear realistically that IS are fighting only four or five people.

They wasted $500 million. They should have given that money to us, we could use it more effectively in fighting international terrorism. No doubt about it.

Turkey To Reopen Border Crossing, But Will Not Recognize “Coalition Passports”

Turkey is reopening the Bab al-Hawa crossing next week after seven months, but passports issued by the opposition-in-exile Syrian National Coalition will not be accepted.

Turkish authorities cited security concerns for the closure, making only rare exceptions for transit travelers and medical emergencies.

The French Government helped the Coalition issue passports in Turkey from May, Bab al-Hawa spokesman Nour Abu Remas said the effort was undermined by a thriving counterfeit business.

Abu Remas said the only way to cross, if a person does not have a Syrian regime-issued passport, will be to enter illegally by paying a bribe.

The spokesman said that while management of the crossing was nominally turned over to a civilian administration, it is being run by rebel factions, particularly Ahrar al-Sham.

Video: 100s of Cluster Munitions Fired at Village in Hama Province

Vivid images of hundreds of cluster bombs fired by Russian-made multiple-launch rocket systems at the village of al-Skeik in Hama Province:

Regime forces briefly held al-Skeik on Sunday before being pushed back by rebels.

The Russian and Syrian militaries have been accused of violations of international law with their firing of cluster bombs into civilian areas (see earlier entry).

Free Syrian Army: US Continues to Deny Us Anti-Aircraft Weapons

A Free Syrian Army captain, facing the regime-Russian offensive in Hama Province, has explained, “We can have most of the weapons we want — but nothing to shoot down the planes.”

Captain Mustafa, the military spokesman of the FSA’s Tajamul Ala’Azza, said outside powers had maintained the refusal despite the start of Russian bombing and the three-front offensive in western Syria:

It’s the same as it’s always been. Our supply lines are still open, but we still can’t get any anti-aircraft missiles. The Americans have never changed their position on that.

That’s politics.

Despite the limit on weapons, Mustafa remained defiant, “We say to the Russian bear that we will chase you to your grave. You don’t know what you’ve got yourself into.”

Ayad Abu al-Majd, a leader of the FSA’s Tajammu al-Ghab, echoed both the criticism and the defiance:

Our support is coming to us with speed of a turtle but the regime is getting support from the Russians with the speed of a deer. I’m not saying the Americans and the Saudis didn’t give us support but it is not as fast as we need it to be….

What did we do before the Americans support us. We stole weapons from the regime. And now we will do the same if the Americans decide they won’t support us. We will fight till our last drop of blood, this is our only option.

We have lots of support from our friends, the real friends of the Syrian revolution which are six or seven countries. Some are providing us with money and others with weapons.

Opposition Coalition Rejects UN “Working Groups” Because of Russian Intervention

The opposition Syrian National Coalition has again rejected the proposed “working groups” of UN envoy Staffan de Mistura, saying the process is not possible during Russia’s military intervention.

The Coalition initially dismissed the working groups after Russia’s build-up last month, and its General Assembly said on Monday that the “countering [of] the Russian and Iranian invasion a top priority ahead of all other efforts”.

The Assembly reaffirmed “its commitment to a political solution”, but said this should be on the basis of the Geneva I Communique of June 2012 for a political transition and UN resolutions “as well as stopping the Russian aggression on Syria”.

De Mistura, who has been the UN envoy since July 2014, has made little headway in his proposals for talks leading to a political settlement.

Creation of “Syrian Democratic Forces” with Kurds, Free Syrian Army, and Assyrians

A new coalition, the “Syrian Democratic Forces”, has been announced by the Kurdish militia YPG, Free Syrian Army brigades, and Assyrian units.

The SDF’s initial statement said it was established as a “unified national military force” in response to political and military developments in a “sensitive phase” of the conflict. Signatories include the YPG and the Kurdish women’s militia YPJ, the Syrian Arab Coalition of FSA groups, and the Assyrian Military Council.

The new force reportedly has about 30,000 fighters. Its statement comes amid chatter, fed by US officials, of a Kurdish-FSA offensive upon the Islamic State’s center of Raqqa in northern Syria.

Limited Gains for Regime-Russia Offensive in Hama and Latakia

The three-front regime-Russia offensive continued to make limited advances on Sunday, the fifth day of the ground assault covered by Russian airstrikes.

In the 20-km (13-mile) Hama salient adjoining Idlib Province, the Syrian military briefly held the village of al-Skeik before being pushed back. They still hold the village of Atshan, which has swapped hands several times since last Wednesday, but face rebel counter-attacks.

The heaviest fighting today is on the southern outskirts of the town of Kafr Naboudeh. Rebels say they have killed the colonel commanding regime forces.

In northeastern Latakia Province, the Syrian military said it entered the key town of Salma yesterday, occupying five building blocks.

However, pro-regime outlets admit that the incursion was soon repelled and that rebels launched successful counter-attacks near the town, held by the opposition since 2012. The opposition reclaimed the Kafr Dalbeh hilltop, destroying a regime tanks and armored BMP.

Claims are circulating that rebels have retaken the nearby village of Dourin, which had been captured by regime forces in March.

There was little confirmed change on the third front of the al-Ghab Plain, between the Hama salient and northeastern Latakia. Russia warplanes continued to bombard towns and cities, including Jisr al-Shughour, in neighboring Idlib Province. Pro-Assad accounts said the Syrian military was trying to advance on the town of Sirmaniyah, near the northwestern al-Ghab Plain.

Rescue Workers Face More Russian and Regime Cluster Bombs

Rescue workers and local journalists have told Syria Direct of the challenge of even more advanced cluster bombs after Russia’s military intervention.

Wasim al-Adel, an Idlib-based journalist, said attacks are seeding villages, towns, and fields with hundreds of cluster munitions:

Cluster bombs can cover such a huge swath of territory–first responders just don’t have enough trained techs to find and gather them all up….

We’ve lost farmers, women and children — ten alone in Masaran in rural Idlib — because we don’t have the people, the resources or the training for a comprehensive clean up.

Neither Russia nor Syria are signatories to an international ban on cluster bombs.

At least 11 different types of cluster munitions have been seen in the Syrian conflict.

Claimed footage of explosion of cluster bombs in Kafrzita in Hama Province on October 7: