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DoD Sec. Carter: Russia airstrikes in Syria 'pouring gasoline on the fire'

By Amy R. Connolly
Defense Secretary Ash Carter speaks at a Memorial Day event at Arlington National Cemetery in May in Arlington, Va. Wednesday, Carter said Russia's airstrikes in support of Syria's Assad regime was "pouring gasoline on the fire" and urged a political settlement. Pool photo by Olivier Douliery/UPI
Defense Secretary Ash Carter speaks at a Memorial Day event at Arlington National Cemetery in May in Arlington, Va. Wednesday, Carter said Russia's airstrikes in support of Syria's Assad regime was "pouring gasoline on the fire" and urged a political settlement. Pool photo by Olivier Douliery/UPI | License Photo

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (UPI) -- Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said Russia's airstrikes in support of Syria's Assad regime were "pouring gasoline on the fire" and urged Russia to seek a political settlement in the country wracked by civil war.

Carter's comments come after news Russia launched airstrikes in Syria on Wednesday. Russian officials said the military operations would be aimed at the Islamic State, but there is growing concern it will instead target U.S.-supported opposition groups and bolster Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's standing. Carter said the strikes appeared to be in locations "where ISIL in fact are not present," using an alternative reference to the IS.

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The first Russian airstrikes occurred in western Syria near Homs, an area that is not known for IS presence. The Free Syrian Army, Assad's opponent, operates in Homs. It is not clear what the bombs hit.

"Fighting ISIL without pursuing a parallel political transition only risks escalating civil war in Syria," Carter said.

Carter said the United States will continue to conduct airstrikes in Syria as planned, but U.S.-Russian talks will begin to avoid any incidents between the two military forces. He slammed Russian leaders for walking into the U.S. embassy in Baghdad on Wednesday morning to announce Moscow would begin the strikes.

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"This is not the kind of behavior that we should expect professionally from the Russian military," he said.

Russians have said their primary goal is to fight the IS, but Arizona Sen. John McCain, who chairs the Armed Services Committee, said it is "blindingly obvious" Russia plans to build up forces in Syria. He said the "total lack of American leadership" in Syria and the Middle East has contributed to the civil war, the massive refugee crisis and the bolstering of IS.

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