The Russian chief of staff, General Valery Gerasimov, accompanied Assad, according to a statement by Russia’s Defense Ministry. The two discussed coordinating actions of the Syrian government forces with the help of the Russian military against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) and the Al-Nusra Front in Syria.
Syrian President Bashar Assad has tried out the role of fighter jet pilot, as he arrived in Latakia province to inspect the Russian-operated Khmeymim airbase. This marks the first time the Syrian president has visited the military airfield.