US slams Assad's Russia visit

The White House issued a scathing attack on Russia's "red carpet" welcome for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad yesterday, accusing Moscow of impeding progress towards a political transition by propping up the strongman.

Assad met Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday and thanked his Russian counterpart for launching airstrikes against his opponents in Syria, with both leaders also agreeing during talks that political steps must follow military operations.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz told journalists the United States viewed "the red carpet welcome for Assad, who has used chemical weapons against his own people, as at odds with the stated goal by the Russians for a political transition in Syria."

Moscow's actions in the war-torn Middle-Eastern state were "counterproductive", he added. Putin had emphasised during Assad's visit that Syrians should decide their country's fate.

"Based on positive results in military operations at the end of the day a long-term settlement can be achieved on the basis of a political process with the participation of all political forces, ethnic and religious groups," the Russian president said.

Meanwhile, a group of EU countries signed an agreement to counter "foreign terrorist fighters" yesterday, making it an international crime to travel abroad -- or even plan a trip -- to join militant groups.

"For the first time in international law, we have an instrument that criminalises early preparations for acts of terror. It is the vital, missing piece of the jigsaw," said Thorbjorn Jagland, secretary general of the 47-member Council of Europe, which drew up the new law.

Analysis firm IHS Jane's said yesterday a major increase in violence by the Islamic State group saw over 1,000 attacks and nearly 3,000 deaths worldwide in the past three months.

The London-based analysis firm recorded 1,086 IS attacks, causing a total of 2,978 civilian and government fatalities -- a huge 65.3 percent increase in the average daily killings by the group compared to the previous three months, and an 81 percent jump on one year earlier.