A frame grab taken from footage released by Russia's Defence Ministry October 3, 2015, shows smoke rising after airstrikes carried out by Russian air force on what Russia says was a bomb factory in Maarat al-Numan, south of the town of Idlib, Syria. REUTERS/Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation/Handout via Reuters
BEIRUT/AMMAN (Reuters) - President Bashar al-Assad said the success of a military campaign by Russia, Syria and its allies was vital to save the Middle East from destruction, a day after Moscow said it would step up air strikes against Islamic State targets across Syria.
A year-long air campaign by Western and Arab air forces in Syria and Iraq had been counterproductive, Assad said, helping terrorism spread and win new recruits, but a coalition of Syria, Russia, Iran and Iraq could achieve real results.
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