A defence analyst has suggested Russian airstrikes in Syria are not hurting Islamic State but are actually helping the group.

Justin Bronk, speaking to the Express, said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s bombing campaign is actually “helping ISIS because they are attacking in very concentrated fashion moderate rebel groups that the US backs.”

Bronk, research analyst at the Royal United Service Institute, said only 5 percent of Russia’s more than 600 bombing sorties had hit ISIS positions.

It has been claimed that around 5 percent of Russian strikes have hit Islamic State, a claim backed up by analysis of open source intelligence provided by many sources.

This comes as Islamist State militants launched a rare attack inside Kurdish northern Iraq November 3, briefly taking over a local government compound near several producing oil fields.

Kurds previously had largely prevented IS incursions into their autonomous territory.

Security sources said suicide bombers blew themselves up at key checkpoints, clearing the way for three other militants to enter the compound in Dibis, 30 miles south of Irbil.

George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison

13 COMMENTS

    • UK Defence Journal read before commenting and my opinion is the same. USA are helping ISIS. Russia is helping Assad who is against ISIS and FSA (USA call FSA moderate what a joke… hezbollah now is moderate…kkk) USA dont do nothing to stop ISIS in Iraq and tons off USA weapons now is in the ISIS hands. Who is helping who…

    • Silly boy Joao you have absolutely no idea about what is going on out there now do you. So please explain to me how ongoing airstrikes on IS positions is actually assisting them you numpty

    • James Gale they are helping ISIS when they do nothing to stop then on IRAQ, Explain you to me what the strategy in left the isis take Mosul and leave 2300 hunvees and other weapons. Iraq is influence area of USA, If they realy want to stop ISIS they can, but don t do nothing. Iam not a fanboy of Russia, they ara suporting Assad but to me is more logical to suport Assad fighting FSA and ISIS like Russia, USA is doing nothing or almost anything against ISIS to let then figth Assad, To me is a stupid strategy. Russia and USA are figthing for profit and to project political and military influence in that area, No one care about the people. If some one have absolutely no idea about what is going on out there is you a USA fanboy.

    • So you do understand 2 wars were fought and Telic in 2003 ousted a dictator and there were training teams involved. New equipment for the Iraqi army and proper training and you claim it is our fault that the Iraq Army were next to useless and capitulated despite all this? That they are so tribal in their caste system it is Middle Ages. So everytime a ME country gets into trouble we have to ride back in again and sort the mess out?
      Your logic is pure genius!

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here