Iran aids Syria, Russia 20 Oct 2015 15:39
Russian air strikes kill 45 in Syria, including rebel commander
Russian air strikes in Syria's Latakia province killed a top rebel commander from a group armed by President Bashar al-Assad's foreign enemies, a monitoring group said on Tuesday.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/20/us-mideast-crisis-syria-latakia-idUSKCN0SE0M420151020
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The new offensive launched by Syrian government forces in the countryside south of Aleppo has shed light on Iran's growing role in Syria's civil war.
Officially Iran denies it has deployed any combat troops in Syria, but a week before the offensive began, it was reported that hundreds of Iranian troops had arrived in Syria in preparation for an imminent assault on rebel-held areas.
Iran also announced the deaths of four high-ranking officers from the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in Syria.
At least one of them, Brig Gen Hossein Hamedani - the most senior Iranian military officer to have been so far killed in the Syrian conflict - lost his life near Aleppo.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-34572756