DAMASCUS (Sputnik) – Syria would allow Russian military bases on its territory, but Moscow has not as yet requested permission, Syrian Information Minister Omran Zoubi told Sputnik on Thursday.
"There were no requests for expanding military bases in Syria from Moscow. However the door on this issue is open between Damascus and Moscow," Zoubi said.
The Syrian minister said the Arab Republic would issue a request for help in ground operations against the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group if the need arises.
Commander of Russian Aerospace Forces Col. Gen. Viktor Bondarev said on Wednesday that Russian aircraft deployed in Syria have delivered over 110 airstrikes against IS positions, destroying designated targets without hitting civilian infrastructure.
Also on Wednesday, Syria's Ambassador to Russia Riad Haddad told Sputnik that some 40 percent of IS infrastructure in Syria has been destroyed since the beginning of Russian military operations in the country.
Russia’s anti-IS air missions in Syria are coordinated with the Baghdad Information Center founded and maintained by Russia, Iran, Syria and Iraq.
