Opposition groups in Syria reported over the weekend that Russian engineers are working to expand the tarmac of a large airports in Latakia, one of the largest airports in territory still controlled by the Assad regime. Western governments have warned Moscow against trying to save the embattled Assad regime through direct military support while the Kremlin has protested that its efforts in Syria are primarily aimed at fighting the Islamic State (IS) terror militia. Fierce fighting continued over the weekend in several parts of Syria as well as neighboring Iraq, with various factions reporting both inflicting and suffering large numbers of casualties as ever-increasing numbers of refugees flee the conflict to seek shelter in Europe.
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