Idlib

Russia has vetoed several draft resolutions on Syria which it says are unfair and biased, often following “fabricated” evidence [Xinhua]The United Nations Security Council is expected to vote on a new resolution calling for a 30-day ceasefire in Syria, following reports of heavy fighting and mass casualties near the capital Damascus.
Russia had called for the Security Council to meet to discuss the resolution, while Kuwait and Sweden called for a vote.

As I predicted a few days ago, the rapidly deteriorating situation in Syria has prompted an urgent telephone call between Russian President Putin and Turkish President Erdogan.
The Kremlin’s summary of the call does not make clear who initiated the call.  However most likely it was the Russian leader.

Originally appeared at RussiaFeed.com
A Russian Su-25 warplane was shot down over Syria’s Idlib province in northwestern Syria on Saturday. The pilot safely ejected from his plane, but he was killed by militants on the ground.  This report, corroborated by the Russian Defense Ministry and RIA Novosti specifies events this way (translated and edited from Russian):

(ZHE) — The Russian Ministry of Defense has released footage showing a precision strike against militants in the northwest Syria province of Idlib, following the downing of an Su-25 jet. The pilot, Roman Nikolaevich Filippov safely ejected – only to be killed by militants on the ground, according to the Ministry. Earlier, Ebaa Agency released a video of the moment the […]

Daniel McAdams
Ron Paul Institute

(MEE) — Syrian rebels shot down a Russian plane over Syria’s northwest Idlib province on Saturday, a monitor said, and the pilot was killed. The pilot, who ejected himself from the plane, appeared to have died upon impact, according to photos shared by pro-opposition activists. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The Syrian Observatory for […]

(MEE) — The Trump administration is prepared to again take military action against Syrian government forces if necessary to deter the use of chemical weapons and is concerned they may be developing new methods to deliver such weapons, senior US officials said on Thursday. Forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have continued occasional use of chemical […]

(ANTIMEDIA Op-ed) — The fact that Russia’s military operation in Syria is still underway in the Idlib province — with heavy bombing by both Syrian government forces and Russian military forces — proves Western countries pick and choose their moments of outrage in order to pursue their warped foreign policy agenda.

The Russian Ministry of Defence has now released more information on the drone attack on Russia’s two Syrian bases at Khmeimim and Tartus on Saturday 6th January 2018.
Yesterday reports from Russia spoke of the drone attack using US sourced technology and of the attack coinciding with the presence of a US Poseidon surveillance aircraft close to the bases.
Today Russia’s Ministry of Defence says is saying that the drone attack was launched from a Turkish controlled area in the heart of a so-called ‘de-escalation zone’ in north west Syria’s Idlib province.

We’re back in the studio for another episode of UK Column News, covering everything from the world’s economic situation (hint: it’s all about China), to what’s really happening now in Iran, Syria, Libya, Israel, Palestine and more. Then we circle back to UK domestic news with an update on the Grenfell enquiry, IOPC and the Cities Agenda.