Russian Deputy FM meets Syrian Kurds: RIA
RIA Novosti is reporting that Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov has met with the leader of the "Syrian Kurdish Democratic Party" to discuss the situation in Syria and the Genevan talks.
It is not clear precisely which organization Bogdanov has met, but presumably the Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD) whose military wing the YPG is fighting in northern Syria.
No Chechen forces in Syria, just some people acting under their own initiative: Kadyrov's spokesman
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov never spoke of any military operation in Syria in which "Chechen special forces" are taking part, Kadyrov's spokesman Alvi Karimov has said, Interfax is reporting.
But Karimov admitted that there were "some people" who were acting under their own initiative who had infiltrated "anti-government forces" and who were informing the Russian military about the locations of militant groups and their logistics.
"Ramzan Kadyrov never said that members of any sort of Chechen special forces are fighting in Syria," Karimov said.
"I think that I don't have to explain to anyone the threat of terrorism, not least when we are talking about direct threats to Russia. We have to counter this from all directions. Ramzan Kadyrov did not talk about any "Chechen special forces." There are only divisions in the Russian military forces. And he did not say anything about any sort of ground operation, in which "Chechen special forces" are allegedly taking part."
Karimov added that in Syria there were "only some young people who are there entirely on their own initiative" but did not say how many of these people were in Syria.
"And no one sent them. They report somewhere information that they know, which is of operational interest. And this turns out to be useful. Thanks to these people the locations where terrorists were being trained was established, their recruitment channels and routes through which new recruits are being sent from several countries to the conflict zone," Karimov added.
"We should not be surprised that some people entirely by their own initiative, for idealogical and religious reasons are opposed to terrorism, and are at every moment at risk of being identified and so need to act as supporters of the anti-government forces, which are the IS group, and so on."
From our news desk:
Kremlin Rejects German, Turkish Accusations Over Syria
Russia says there is "no credible evidence" of civilian deaths as a result of Russian air strikes in Syria.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the comments on February 9, a day after German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was "horrified" by the suffering being caused by Russia's bombing campaign among civilians.
The spokesman also described as "wrong and absurd" accusations by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Russia was engaged in an invasion of Syria.
Moscow has also accused Ankara of planning to invade Syria.
Russia launched air strikes in Syria on September 30, helping government forces recapture some territory lost to extremist groups and other opposition fighters in central and western Syria.
Turkey shot down a Russian bomber on the Syrian-Turkish border in November, resulting in a breakdown in relations between Moscow and Ankara.
Based on reporting by Reuters and TASS
EU's Tusk says Russian bombings in Syria are making things worse
Top European Union official Donald Tusk denounced Russian airstrikes in Syria as helping the "murderous" government of President Bashar Assad and triggering fresh waves of refugees fleeing toward Europe, Reuters reports.
From our news desk:
Ambassador: Some 10,000 Russian Citizens Remain In Syria
Russia's ambassador to Damascus says an estimated 10,000 Russian citizens are currently living in war-torn Syria.
Ambassador Aleksandr Kinshchak told TASS news agency that the figure includes those Syrians from mixed families who have Russian passports.
He also said that it was difficult to give an exact figure because many Russian citizens prefer not to be registered at the consulate.
The ambassador said Russian citizens have the possibility to be evacuated from Syria by boarding humanitarian planes returning from the western Syrian city of Latakia to Russia.
Russia launched air strikes in Syria on September 30, helping government forces recapture some territory lost to extremist groups and other opposition fighters in central and western Syria.
Based on reporting by TASS
IS claims this morning's suicide attack in Damascus
The IS group has claimed this morning's suicide car bombing in Damascus.
Suicide blast in Damascus kills several
There are confused reports about a suicide car bombing in Damascus this morning.
Reuters is reporting that a suicide car bomber blew himself up at a police officers' club in the Syrian capital, killing several people, according to Syria's interior ministry said.
The ministry said that a number of people were also wounded in the blast in the Masken Barza district where several major government buildings are located.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has put the death toll at eight police officers killed and 20 wounded.
But Syrian state news agency SANA is reporting that three civilians were killed and 14 were injured in the blast. SANA says the attack happened near a fruit and vegetable market, citing a source in the Damascus police command.
Reuters reports that Syrian state TV had reported that the attack occurred near a market but then retracted the report.
UN refugee agency calls on Turkey to open border to Syrians fleeing Aleppo
The UN has urged Turkey to open its borders to the thousands of Syrian refugees fleeing heavy fighting in Aleppo, Reuters reports.
"Turkey has also allowed a number of vulnerable and wounded people in Turkey. However, many people are not being allowed to cross the border. We are asking Turkey to open its border to all civilians in Syria fleeing danger in need of international protection as they have done," William Spindler, spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, told a news briefing.