Amid Russia’s escalating military activities in Syria, the White House has warned it not to interfere in the US-led international efforts to destroy the Islamic State in the strife-torn region. “The President has made quite clear that Russia should not be interfering with the 65-member international coalition that is seeking to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIS. We’ve made that quite clear,” White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters on Tuesday.
There has been at least one preliminary conversation between the US and Russian military officials to try to de-conflict those military activities, he said. Many of the Russian military airstrikes have been carried out in areas where there are fewer or if any ISIS forces, and they’re carrying out those military activities despite the fact that they say that they’re focused on ISIS, he said.