conner powell is in afghanistan but first, jennifer griffin live from the pentagon with details on syria. >> reporter: a senior military source described the meeting as awkward and stern and direct. a russian three star general established by russia, iran and syria in baghdad last week entered the u.s.-embassy and delivered a verbal remark to the general. they said russian airstrikes would begin soon. according to the transcript, the russian general requests u.s. war planes not fly in northern syria because russians were beginning airstrike and used the word please even. it was a tense conversation i am told. the russian general told the american defense if you have forces in the area we request they leave. the first russian strikes began in the homes about 60 miles east of a russian military base. even though there are no isis targets in the areas according the pentagon they are in the area. it is said the u.s. planes will not complay and u.s. war planes continued carrying out strike missions in northern syria today. secretary of state john kerry meets his russian counterpart at the un

. >> reporter: building on the report from conner powell, the pentagon said the u.s.uching down near the assad strong hold. and delivering half dozen battle tanks and 15 fresh artillery pieces and armor carriers that can accommodate 1500 russian troops. the deliveries are designed to help bachar assad in the fifth year of a syrian war to avoid the fate of gaddafi. >> they suggested that the president and his aides are battling isis and not enough on ousting assad. >> you have to keep the military pressure on him. that's what the local opposition fighters in syria and islamic states, they need help. this is a war. they need military assistance. >> reporter: president obama told service members that he warn wad vladimar putin not to intervene to prop up the assad regime. and warnings that show the russian president did not heed. >> that will not change our core strategy which is to put pressure on isil in iraq and syria. but we are going to be engaging russia to let them know, that you can't continue to double down on a strategy that is doomed to failure. >> reporter: t

correspondent conner powell has the latest tonight from our middle east news room. >> despite warning that the taliban were gaining strength, afghan security forces appear to have been caught offguard monday when several hundred taliban fighters stormed the city of kunduz. as the taliban expand their grip over afghanistan's sixth largest city, government security forces are reportedly surrendering in droves. with insurgents capturing u.s.-provided equipment. backed by u.s. airstrikes, afghan security forces have launched a counteroffensive. but all the major strategic positions except the airport are now under taliban control. in kabul, afghan lawmakers called on the pro american president, ashraf ghani, to resign. it's been almost 72 hours, this afghan member of parliament says that people inside the city have been suffering from lack of food, water and electricity. children and women are dying. >> american special forces soldiers are on the ground in kunduz, and according to u.s. officials, are actively involved in the operation, including battling insurgents at the airport. despite

conner powell is in afghanistan but first, jennifer griffin live from the pentagon with details on syriasource described