Syrian rebels strike near Russian base
Two powerful blasts have struck Latakia, a port on the Mediterranean and home to a new Russian airbase. Early reports inside 23 dead and 40 wounded. No mention of Russian casualties. The rebels have shown the ability to strike deep in the Shia/Alawi homeland and signal Russia that they are going to hit back after Russian airstrikes.
US hopes Russian airliner loss will help in ISIL War
American intelligence officials hope that the Sinai disaster will encourage Putin to allocate more of his airstrikes on ISIL positions in Syria rather than on other rebel groups. The same officials indicate that Putin’s Syrian policy may encourage Russain Muslims to strike inside Russia – a view expressed here on 9 Oct.
There are shortages in US-made precision guided munitions owing to the allied air campaigns against ISIL and the Saudi war in Yemen, which the US is helping with ordnance, intelligence, and refueling. This suggests that the ordnance expended on ISIL in Iraq and Syria is having only limited effect. ISIL has lost territory since last year but it continues to field paid, trained soldiers.