Syrian FM says no Russian troops fighting in Syria yet

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said Thursday that there are no Russian troops fighting alongside the Syrian army in the war-torn country. In an interview with state-run TV, the head of the Syrian diplomacy said the Russian presence in Syria is so far confined to military experts and specialists, refuting media reports that Russian soldiers were fighting alongside the Syrian army. "There is a difference between a Russian military engagement on ground, and providing aid and expertise and training on some sort of weaponry that we have received from the Russian Federation," al-Moallem told the TV. "I say so far there is no Russian-Syrian joint fight on ground, but if we sensed that there is a need for that, we will consider and ask, not only consider, but we will ask (for that joint fight)," the minister stressed. Meanwhile, the minister refused to confirm or deny reports that Russian pilots and experts along with drones and other high-end military equipment have arrived to the Bassel al-Assad International Airport in the coastal city of Latakia. "I can neither confirm nor deny the reports, but I can say that the cooperation between Syria and Russia, between our Armed Forces and their Armed Forces, is a strategic and deep," he said. The remarks came as reports of Syrian army started using newly-received Russian weaponry emerged Thursday. Earlier in the day, the pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV said "the new weaponry sent by Russia is of high and precise efficiency and the Syrian army has started getting trained to use them." The TV didn't elaborate on where exactly the new weapons were deployed. Russian officials have recently stressed that Moscow will continue providing military aid to Damascus, and that the military support will be accompanied by Russian specialists. "There were military supplies. They are ongoing and they will continue," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Sunday. "They are inevitably accompanied by Russian specialists, who help to adjust the equipment, to train Syrian personnel to use these weaponry." Russia says the military aid is aimed at combating terrorism in accordance with international law. Syria is reeling under four years of conflict and intense battles between government troops and an array of ultra-radical groups such as the Nursra Front and the IS.