US Asks Russia to Not Hit Nusra Front in Syria, Moscow Says

Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV, ASSOCIATED PRESS MOSCOW — Jun 3, 2016, 4:17 PM ET

Russia's foreign minister said Washington has asked Moscow not to target the al-Qaida's branch in Syria, the Nusra Front, but the U.S. insisted Friday that it only wants Russia to carefully select it targets to avoid hitting civilians and legitimate opposition groups.

Sergey Lavrov said that Russia has long insisted that the moderate, U.S.-backed opposition groups should leave the areas occupied by Nusra. He said in televised remarks that Russia and the U.S. have engaged in close dialogue on how to secure a cease-fire in Syria, but added that fighting the Islamic State group and Nusra should be a top priority.

"They are telling us not to hit it (Nusra), because there is 'normal' opposition next .. to it," Lavrov said. "But that opposition must leave terrorists' positions, we long have agreed on that."

In Paris, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters that he discussed the upsurge of violence in Syria in Friday's telephone conversation with Lavrov.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/us-asks-russia-hit-nusra-front-syria-moscow-39591833