The US expressed concern over the weekend at reports that Russian military units are actively fighting in Syria to support the faltering Assad regime, while scattered reports also indicated that steps are being taken to send thousands of more Russian troops to the area.
Russian President Vladimir Putin denied the reports in remarks to reporters but admitted that his government is sending massive amounts of assistance to the regime including advanced weapons and military equipment.
The reports come a midst a swirl of diplomatic activity surrounding the war in Syria and a warning from Druze leaders in Israel that a thin belt of Syrian Druze villages is all that separates the Islamic State (IS) terror militia from Israeli territory. Meanwhile, the battle between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) also intensified over the weekend, with ambushes and airstrikes causing several casualties on both sides.
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