REUTERS
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Thursday that Russia was expanding an air base in Homs province in western Syria to accommodate its fighter jets, and was already using another, further east, for helicopter sorties, Reuters reported citing the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The first, the Shayrat air base, is southeast of Homs city, and the second, at al Tayas towards the Islamic State-controlled city of Palmyra, were likely to be used to strike the group in the area, said the Britain-based Observatory, which monitors the war through contacts on the ground, according to Reuters.
A U.S. official said the United States believed Russia had been moving equipment to the Shayrat base. The official could not confirm what specific types of equipment were being moved into the air base, but said the United States believes some of the equipment is already operational.
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