Russian military says Syrian opposition helps it

Russia’s military says it has cooperated with Syrian opposition forces in the fight against the Islamic State group.

Sergei Rudskoi of the General Staff of the Russian military says that more than 150 Syrian opposition units totaling some 5,000 fighters have cooperated with the Syrian army and Russian airforce to fight the IS.

Rudskoi says in televised remarks that members of the “patriotic” Syrian opposition are pinpointing the IS targets for Russian warplanes.

Rudskoi says that Russian aircraft have destroyed more than 1,200 oil tanker trucks operated by the IS.

Rudskoi’s statement followed President Vladimir Putin’s claim that Russia is giving air cover to some units of the Free Syrian Army, a Western-backed opposition group, and is also providing them with weapons, ammunition and supplies.

FSA’s chief of staff has denied receiving Russian weapons.