Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (C) talks to soldiers during a visit to Jobar, northeast of Damascus, in this handout photograph distributed by Syria's national news agency SANA on January 1, 2015. Al-Assad visited a district on the outskirts of Dam
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (C) talks to soldiers during a visit to Jobar, northeast of Damascus, in this handout photograph distributed by Syria's national news agency SANA on January 1, 2015. Al-Assad visited a district on the outskirts of Damascus and thanked soldiers fighting "in the face of terrorism", his office said on its Twitter account on Wednesday, posting pictures of the rare trip. The account said the visit took place in Jobar, northeast of Damascus, on the occasion of the New Year. The district came under heavy Syrian air force strikes on Wednesday according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the nearly four-year conflict. Reuters/Sana

The United States has accused Russia of trying to build a military air base in Syria. According to Pentagon, they have enough evidence of Russian activity at the Syrian coastal city of Latakia -- one of the remaining bastions of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad.

“We have seen indications in recent days that Russia has moved people and things into the area around Latakia and the air base there,” Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis said. He added that 200 naval infantrymen and 12 army personnel carriers were spotted in the area, the Time reported.

Russia is the most vocal supporter of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime, even as most of the Western powers are opposing it and its enemy, Islamic State or ISIS. A BBC report said Russian military equipment was indeed sent to Syria to help the government in combating Islamic State militants.

US concern

Pentagon official Davis said the U.S. was concerned that Russian military moves might come into conflict with ongoing U.S. and coalition air strikes against ISIS in Syria. The U.S. also apprehends that the stepped-up Russian support will stabilise the regime of President Assad at a time it has been losing many battles. It may also complicate recent efforts to find a political solution to the conflict, the BBC report added.

Russian cargo in Syria

In the meantime, the Syrian media reported that two Russian cargo planes with 80 tonnes of humanitarian aid had arrived in Syria. Russia also denied reports of any military build-up in Syria, although Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said recently that Russia would not mind sending more help if Syria requested.

"Russia is sending planes to Syria with both military equipment in accordance with current contracts and humanitarian aid," Lavrov said.

The Pentagon officials believe that Russia may be giving President Assad extra military support because of substantial loss of territory to rebels. Already the war between President Assad’s regime and various rebel groups has claimed the lives of at least 240,000 people, besides displacing millions.

Kerry warns Russia

In a latest development, the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called up his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov and warned that Russia’s continued support for President Bashar al-Assad "risks exacerbating and extending the conflict," according to a statement by the state department.

Kerry told Lavrov that Russia's support for President Assad was “undermining our shared goal of fighting extremism if we do not also remain focused on finding a solution to the conflict in Syria via a genuine political transition.”

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