ALEPPO: Russia said Tuesday it has sent an advanced missile system to the Syrian port of Tartus, as tensions escalate between Moscow and Washington over the five-year conflict. On the ground, Assad’s forces advanced on rebels during intense street fighting in the opposition-held east of Aleppo city, which Russia has been accused of bombing indiscriminately including targeting its hospitals. Russia, which has denied its strikes have hit hospitals, said it was deploying an S-300 missile system to Tartus on the Mediterranean coast. “The S-300 is a purely defensive system and poses no threat to anyone,” said defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov. But it collapsed after a week, with Russia blaming Washington for failing to convince rebels to distance themselves from jihadists.

Source: New Strait Times October 05, 2016 01:52 UTC