Obama calls on Russia to fight against Islamic State, not moderate opposition

U.S. President Barack Obama spoke by telephone on Friday with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and they agreed that Russia's military operations in Syria should focus on Islamic State, not moderate Syrian opposition groups, BBC Russian news service reported referring to the White House.

Obama and Al Nahyan, who holds a senior post in the armed forces of the United Arab Emirates, also reaffirmed the importance of establishing the conditions necessary for a political transition in Syria, the White House said in a statement.

As reported earlier, on Friday, Syrian government forces and their allies backed by Russian jets launched an offensive against rebels near Aleppo. The city is largely under government control, with some parts of Aleppo being held by a variety of rebel groups.