PHOTO: Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and President Assad in Damascus on Saturday

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Amid further losses for pro-Assad forces near Syria’s largest city Aleppo, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has made a sudden visit to the President in Damascus.

Shoigu arrived on Saturday at the Russian military’s Hmeimim base in Latakia Province in western Syria, purportedly to review troops and S-400 anti-air defense systems before traveling to the capital.

Syrian State news agency SANA gave no details of the “work visit…commissioned by Russian President Vladimir Putin”, saying only that it was “on military cooperation between the two countries and the joint work to combat terrorist organizations on the Syrian territories”.

The Russian Defense Ministry held to the same line of a discussion “upon the request” of Putin: “Topical issues concerning military cooperation between the two countries’ defense ministries, as well as certain aspects of cooperation in the fight against terror groups that are active on Syrian territory, were discussed at the meeting.”

Shoigu also ordered the commander of the Russian “reconciliation center” to “encourage local administrations and fighters to”cease fire and join the peace process”, according to the Ministry.

SHOIGU ASSAD 06-16 2

Defense Minister Shoigu delivers message to Assad

How to Respond to Defeats?

Earlier this month, amid setbacks for pro-Assad forces near Aleppo city, Shoigu and Syrian Defense Minister Fahd Jassem al-Freij went to Tehran for consultations with Iranian counterpart Hossein Dehghan. There has been no information about the topics of the discussions.

Iran and Russia have differed in the level of their support for President Assad’s future. While Tehran has proclaimed that Assad’s departure — through military action or political negotiations — is a “red line” that cannot be crossed, Moscow has given indications that it would accept a regime without the President in the long-term.

Assad has held firm, rejecting a transitional governing authority in which he would step aside. That line, as well as continued Russian and regime bombing and sieges, collapsed political talks brokered by the UN between January and April.

However, the regime has failed to establish a secure position despite Russian intervention with thousands of airstrikes, supporting ground offensive by Iranian units, Hezbollah fighters, and foreign militias alongside the Syrian military. Gains have been limited to some territory in Latakia Province in western Syria and to part of the East Ghouta area near Damascus.

Meanwhile, rebels and Jabhat al-Nusra have put further pressure on pro-Assad forces this week with their fourth advance south of Aleppo since early April. On Friday, they completed the capture of three villages, including the key position of Kalasah after four days of intense battles.

The advance opens the way to attacks on the town of al-Hadher, the last significant position gained by the pro-Assad offensive last autumn.

Russian State media ignored the rebel success. Instead, the “center for reconciliation” declared, “In the northern part of the Aleppo province, near the Syrian-Turkish border, the units of the Syrian Armed Forces have stopped a large-scale offensive of military formations of Jabhat al-Nusra.”

Russian Soldier Killed in ISIS Car Bombing Near Palmyra

Russia has acknowledged the death of a soldier in an Islamic State car bombing near Palmyra in central Syria.

The Defense Ministry said that Andrey Timoshenkov was escorting a humanitarian convoy and “stopped a car rigged with explosives by opening fire at it with small arms” on Wednesday. He died at a medical facility at Russia’s Hmeimim airbase on Thursday.

However, analysis of a video of the ISIS attack indicates that Timoshenkov may have been one of a number of soldiers trying to escape the oncoming vheicle, in a battle during an Islamic State offensive.

The doctors at Russian Khmeimim airbase in Latakia province fought for Timoshenkov’s life for over 24 hours, but he passed away on Thursday, June 16, it added.

Russia has offically acknowledged the deaths of 11 troops since its intervention last September.

Claims: Turkish Guards Kill 11 Refugees at Border

Claims are circulating that Turkish border guards have shot and killed at least 11 refugees, including several children.

The incident occurred at Khirbet al-Joz in Idlib Province. Video has been posted of one of the slain children.

US: “Extraordinary” Conference After Russian Strikes on American-Supported Forces

The Pentagon said that US officials held an “extraordinary” video conference with Russian counterparts on Saturday, following Moscow’s airstrikes on American-supported forces in southeastern Syria.

The Russian strikes hit the New Syrian Army on Thursday at the al-Tanf crossing on the Iraqi border, near the Jordanian frontier. Photos have been posted of cluster bombs amid the munitions.

The NSA was formed last year and backed by the US to fight the Islamic State. The US and Britain have provided special forces, arms, and ammunition to the group.

Defense Department spokesman Peter Cook said Pentagon officials “expressed strong concerns about the attack”. The statement noted that the Russians attacked, even after the US sent its warplanes to the area, which “created safety concerns for US and coalition forces”.

US FA-18 fighters diverted to al-Tanf after the first of the two Russian strikes, calling on the Russians on an agreed channel but not receiving an answer. As soon as the US jets left the area to refuel, the Russians made another bomb run, attacking rescuers who had convened to help victims of the first attack.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter said the incidents raised questions about whether the Russians had intervened in Syria to fight extremists:

Here’s a case where they actually attacked forces that were fighting ISIL [the Islamic State]. And if that was their intention, that’s the opposite of what they said they were going to do. If not, then it says something about the quality of the information upon which they make airstrikes.

The Russian Defense Ministry now claims that “the American side did not provide the coordinates of the areas where troops are under its control”.

The Ministry further claimed that the New Syrian Army was more than 300 km (185 miles) from agreed ceasefire zones — a distance which would put them close to Hama city in the west of the country or Deir ez-Zor city in the northeast.