The narrative surrounding Russia's relationship with ISIS during the Syrian war has been marked by misinformation and confusion, largely stemming from misleading media reports and pundit commentary. Contrary to some claims made during the conflict, notably by CNN, that Russia and ISIS were allies, the two have in fact been at war since 2015. This conflict has seen Russian forces backing Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad against ISIS jihadists, a stance that has positioned Russia as a direct target for ISIS due to its support for Assad's regime. The complexity of the war, involving international interests and the strategic geography of Syria, has contributed to widespread misunderstanding of the dynamics at play between Russia and ISIS.
The story of #Russia & #ISIS is simple, but it requires some #Syria basics: the war's sides, internationalization, & geography. TLDR: No, Russia hasn't prioritized fighting ISIS in Syria. ISIS attacked Russia because ISIS is a terrorist group. Here we go (w/ references) 1/
"The Islamic State has long threatened to strike Russia directly for shoring up the regime of its sworn enemy, President Bashar al-Assad of Syria." https://t.co/uCed5OGEa1
The war pitting #Russian forces backing #Syrian leader #Assad against ISIS jihadists has been simmering away in Syrian provinces off the world's radar. But it is a key reason that the Islamic State has long had Russia in its cross hairs. @NeilMacFarquhar https://t.co/dbOUoVWMDe
During the Syria war, CNN told viewers that Russia and ISIS were allies. This was an establishment talking point and has naturally left many people confused about why ISIS would attack Russia even though they’ve been at war since 2015.
There’s a lot of confusion about Russia’s relationship to ISIS. This is due to media and pundits lying constantly to Americans during the Syria war. Russia and ISIS have been at war since 2015.