Business Insider UK quotes Rafik Hariri Center Nonresident Fellow Aaron Stein on the impact of Russian airstrikes in Syria on jihadist groups:
Aaron Stein, a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, told Business Insider that Russia’s military operation in Syria could end up helping recruitment for jihadist groups like ISIS and the Nusra Front, al-Qaeda’s affiliate in the country.
“They can attract support or smaller groups to join with them and all of a sudden their message becomes more appealing because of the way that Russia has been striking targets,” Stein said. “I think it gives more credibility to the ISIS militants and certainly will be used in their propaganda videos to attract more people to them.”
And the air strikes likely won’t be enough to shift the battle lines in Syria, Stein said.
“The Russian strikes are tactical in that there’s not enough aircraft or military power to seriously change the dynamics on the ground,” Stein said.