Russian officials maintain it is attacking ISIS, perhaps the most brutal terrorist group to emerge in decades. "At the request of the Syrian government, we're helping them to fight ISIS and other terrorist groups," said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. But U.S. officials have questioned whether ISIS is active in the areas hit by the Russian strike, which were around the city of Homs, in western Syria, near the border with Lebanon. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Wednesday that the Russian attacks, which the Kremlin said were meant to target terrorists, didn't appear to hit targets under the control of ISIS, which operates in the north and east of the country.
Russia 'not interested in provoking a conflict'
The White House downplayed the Russian move and its dangers. "I think the Russians have made clear that they're not interested in provoking a conflict," White House press secretary Josh Earnest said. "Their actions thus far indicate that that's what they believe." And unlike Carter, who described the Russian means of informing the United States of its airstrikes launch as "unprofessional," Earnest shrugged off any breach in procedure, saying the level of "upset and surprise" at the White House over Russia's moves was "quite low" given Moscow's consistent support for al-Assad.
Officials at the White House said they were waiting to see how Russia's moves pan out in the coming days and were confident talks between military officials from the two countries would help avoid midair conflicts -- even as some military analysts questioned the effectiveness of those potential talks.
It remains unclear if Russia is target ISIS in Syria - CNN.com
