Reports of civilian casualties dim chances of U.S.-Russia alliance in Syria

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Reports of heavy civilian casualties from Russia’s bombing campaign in Syria are one key reason why Washington is unlikely to coordinate airstrikes with Moscow against Islamic State, U.S. officials told Reuters, even as President Barack Obama left the door ajar on Tuesday to military cooperation with the Kremlin.

Appearing at a White House news conference with his French counterpart, Francois Hollande, Obama reiterated that Russia was "welcome to be part of this broad-based coalition that we've set up." But first, he said, it must shift its focus from propping up Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and redirect its airstrikes away from moderate rebels to hit Islamic State militants.