i've been talking to people here in latakia. they say as far as the families and fighters, once they get back to turkey, they have two options, basically. trying to find out whether they're going to be in refugee camps here in the southern part of turkey, particularly on the border, or they will be allowed to go to an area in the north which are under the control of the rebel. we're talking about a huge swathe of land from aleppo to the outskirts of latakia and also idlib. the same thing for the people from other areas. the moment they get here to latakia, they will fly to lebanon and then they are expected to drive from beirut to damascus to reunite with their families >>> thank you for that. talks ending months of unrest in burundi are due to begin. groups are expected at this meeting. violence began in april when the president announced his intention to run for a controversial third term. since then more than 300 people have died. rights group explained security forces for many of the killings. let's check now with our corres

a direct threat to the stronghold of latakia. that is when russia's campaign began to push rebels back in latakia and the provinces of aleppo and ham ma. regime forces have made gains in the eastern capital. it is said those strikes have killed more than 2300 people. it is said more than a third of those killed were civilians, including 180 children. russia has described the allegations as absurd. a retired lebanese army general. thanks for being with us. how much territory have bashar al-assad's forces been able to take since the rival of russian air strikes in syria? >> i think that the russian rival is like game changer. it added more military assets, more air power, more intelligence. since we know earlier when president al-assad in his speech said he doesn't have enough personnel in order to fight. accordingly, the russians are here trying to limit the spill over or spill back of the regime, in idlib first, and secondly in homas, and then in the northern parts. it is like air base in aleppo. however, if you look from above t

russian air covers also helped regime forces retake a strategic price in latakia. it is an area over looking the main rebel stronghold and aleppo. the syrian army says it captured the mountain after breaking through the defenses of the al-nusra front armed group. we will get a look ahead from peter sharpe, the fact that russia is keeping up the pressure here. >> reporter: russia is definitely keeping up the pressure. this was sold to the russian people. it is a very short-term engagement. they started bombing on 30 september with 30 fighters and then last few weeks they've brought in super sonic jets. these are big fighters, strategic bombers that can unleach their missiles well out of syrian airspace. at the same time the russians are extending their operations, their footprint on the ground. they're taking over two new air bases. they've got an air defense system that covers most of syrian airspace. russia does not seem to be in any way over extending itself yet, but there seems to be also at the same time no clear thought through exit strategy >>> any idea what

russia now has about 60 aircraft, fighters and bombers in the latakia air base, and is carrying out continued strikes against isil and other what it deems terrorist targets. final they have moved their aircraft into the gulf and it has 26 bombers on board. >> that is beater sharp reporting from moscow. this is only the second bilateral meeting. relations there suspended after the annexation of crimea by russia last year. >>> more syrian refugees on its way to canada. canada's minister meeting in jordan's capital before their flight took off last night. they'll be resettled in different locations across the country. canada plans to take in 25,000 syrians by the end of january. there are incredible images coming out of syria today. while the war focuses on solving the crisis. the red cross is warning that winter is approaching. more than 12 million lives are at risk. >> her name is oom ahmed. this young mother of six begins each day scouring the alleys of aleppo when there are no jets dropping bombs she looks for things to burn. she gathers twigs, leaves. >> even garbage. anything to burn to ma

russia has 60 aircraft and bombers in the latakia airbase, and carried out strikes against i.s.i.l.it deems terrorist targets. carrying out 4,000 sortees since it started at the end of september. meanwhile the french moved their aircraft carrier into the golf, and has 26 bombers on board. >> the pilot is debating the african union plan. worrying about increasing violence. more than 400 have been killed since april, when the president pierre nkurunziza decided to run for a third term. the governme >>> nigeria's fisherize provide an income. they are drying fast. we have a report in our third edition. >> reporter: this man has been a fisherman all his life. the skills have been passed down from one generation in the family to another. he considers the river his life. >> it's been very important. it's a fisherman. >> their accumulation of salt and overfishing are threatening it the load. the rivers are not yielding as much as they used to. this is a meeting point of nigeria's two biggest rivers. for generations, this used to be a busy hub for fishing and forming. in recent years people

russia now has about 60 aircraft, fighters and bombers in the latakia air base and is carrying out continued strikes against isil and other what it deems terrorist targets. it's carried out 4,000 sortes since it started at the end of september. meanwhile, the french have moved their aircraft carrier charles de gaulle into the gulf and it has 26 bombers onboard. >> peter sharp reporting. this is only the sect bilateral meeting between the french and russian ministers. >>> it is going to be a warmer day in central and western new york state after the region got a taste of winter over the weekend. a foot of heavy snow fell near lake ontario. a few places received three feet of lake effect snow. there will be high winds today, which could mean difficult driving conditions this morning. >>> santa said bringing back warm weather for much of the east this weekend. let's bring in nicole mitchell. not considered a gift for all of us. >> i would like the white christmas. >> me, too. >> we were showing the video of lake effect areas. sometimes, i've lived there and it's all that shoveling, you can watc

he's escorting us on this trip to the latakia military base. that question, that question about who you are targeting. is it isis or are you supporting assad? >> translator: i can answer the question with our actions. every day we show you how russian aviation is fighting national terrorism, troying their infrastructure in syria. >> reporter: on our tour of the base, we were shown how russia carefully arms its bombers with high-tech precision weaponry. we also saw unguided or dumb bombs being loaded. human rights groups accuse russia of killing civilians from the air, a charge the kremlin strenuously denies. well, there's another plane coming in now, just touching down. it's an su-24. that's going to be very noisy. but it just carried out an air strike somewhere in syria against rebel targets, either isis or some other opposition group. >> russia says it's stopping isis in its attacks, striking their assets and shrinking the territory they and other rebel groups control. and after more than 4,000 sorters over syria, this kremlin air war shows n

the mountain overlooks the main rebel supply route between the part city of latakia and bashar al-assad stronghold and aleppo. the syrian army says it captured the mountain after breaking through the defenses of the al-nusra front armed group. peter sharp is in moscow. talk us through these strikes, peter. >> reporter: it seems now that russia is extending its military footprint in syria. don't forget this operation, this incursion into syria was sold to the russian people two months ago as a very short-term engagement. it is clear now that russia's getting drawn into an extended conflict. it has flown scores of missions in the last 24 hours, but actually they've flown more than four thousand sortees since the bombing began at the end of september. they're picking up their logistic support too. they're moving into two new air bases. they're bringing in a ground to air, very sophisticated missile system and killer class submarines off the coast. does putin still have the support of the people on this? the last opinion polls show that he was running at 89.9% in favor. i think the people i

meanwhile, islamist militants said to be in the northwestern syrian province of latakia apparently repeated threats against russian forces and the syrian army. in another video posted on a social media site, a group of militants stood for the camera. still another video shows a military helicopter flying overhead and what appeared to be an explosion in the distance. protesters gathered in english cities as parliament voted on whether to bomb isis in syria. hundreds of people staged a protest outside the british parliament in london yesterday in opposition to air strikes in syria. many britons are wary of wading into another war in the middle east after western intervention in iraq, afghanistan and libya failed to bring stability to the region. residents of manchester and also gathered to oppose bombing raids in syria. but britain's parliament voted 397 to 223 last night to launch airstrikes in syria, supporting prime minister david cameron's case that the country needs to help destroy the militants. australia says it will step up the search for a missing mayalysian airlines jet in the india

that is when russia's campaign began to push rebels back in the provinces of aleppo, latakia and another. forces made significant gains in the capital of damascus. the strikes have killed more than 2300 people. it is said that more than a third of those killed were children. these allegations are said as absurd. the russians are involved in this current fight. to what extent is their presence been a game changer for bashar al-assad? >> reporter: it is making an impact because since the start of the conflict in syria, the main asset of the government has is basically the air security. it has russian aid fighter jets and also helicopters dropping barrel bombs across the country, but it lacks precision-guided weapons. so the army hasn't been able to solve targets precisely, rebel formations across the country. just to give you an idea about that, a few months ago they managed to shift their tactics from militia, holding territory, launching massive attacks and taking control of areas like a province like, for example, idlib. we're seeing a reverse of those gains made by the rebels because o

the pentagon believes that from latakia air base, in fact, the russian radars would have a hard time mountain range just to the east and locking on to u.s. aircraft. still, u.s. warplanes could be at the risk of an accidental shootdown as they fly over turkey. >> they're going to have to alter their tactics, their approach routes and at the very least coordinate with the russians to make sure they don't get shot down by the s-400 or any other anti-aircraft system that the russians are deploying at this point. >> reporter: and since the shootdown of the russian aircraft by turkey it appears the turks are steering well clear of russian aircraft, the u.s. officials say. publicly backing up turkey ice assertion they were in its airspace but still holding the door open to reconciliation with the russians if they agree to fight isis. >> our view has been clear on where we would like to see russia and we're stepping up a step. if our objectives are the same and if russia is committed to the counter isil fight, that's a conversation we're going to have. >> reporter: that conversation may be

least because they give this example, and i spoke to a senior russian military commander here in latakia in western syria just yesterday. they're saying, look, for the past two years the territory controlled by isis and others as the groups in syria expanded by dozens of times. in just three months since the russians have been engaged in their air strikes conducting over 4,000 air strikes they've carried out since they began, that territory controlled by isis and other rebel groups they say has shrunk. shows they're being much more effective and targeted and using the syrian army to back them up and take advantage of the air strikes that they're carrying out with their warplanes. essentially much more effective than the u.s.-led coalition. >> you're aware the u.s. coalition is much more protect -- i saw you asked the russian commander there what they're focusing on. did he give you a hard answer? >> reporter: the russians are never going to admit they're here predominantly to support assad to make sure their interests here in syria, their military assets, their economic ties are protecte

our senior international correspondent, matthew chance, takes us to the western city of latakia. a refugee camp where thousands say they'd prefer to be under bashar al assad's control. >> reporter: in the game for syria, russia's putin and bashar al assad are on the same side. this is thanks to russia, the poster reads. we were brought to this, the sport city camp to see how the syrian government and their kremlin backers say they give refuge. one government-sanctioned aid worker told me how and why these people are here. what have these people been through to drive them to become refugees? >> these people just don't have any homes. don't have any families. so horrible stuff -- kids here, i hear stuff from kids about killing, about death. you know, it's horrible. they live horribly. they just feel safe here. they don't want to leave the land and didn't have the money to pay for the trip to europe which anybody can do. >> reporter: is that why these refugees are here being protected essentially by president assad? because they couldn't afford to go to europe? >> no. no, i'm not sa

other opposition groups that are threatening the alawite heartland in and around the port city of latakia. they have been hitting those targets from ibrahim abdeslam hard. and have been hitting some i.s.i.l. targets, but not as heavy. i saw some reports which pretty much calls them as they see them, saying that basically an equal number of oppositionists and i.s.i.s. people had been killed in the last month by russian air strikes. there was a large chunk of civilians, including women and children. >>> mr ambassador many believe that it came back because of a power vacuum. will it create a power vacuum, is libya the next frontier for i.s.i.l. >> i believe it would create a vacuum. and it would not be filled by secular democratic forces. my believe is that despite the calls of secretary kerry and the president. the fact is that they want him to go eventually. not today or tomorrow, for precisely that reason. we have seen time and again. extreme factors emerge on top. i fear that is it what will happen if the regime disappears tomorrow. i'm not advocating, just analysing the situation. >> pr

. >>> off the coast of syria a huge warship looms near latakia.o sends a sobering message to a key u.s. ally. cnn's matthew chance is on board. he brings us an extraordinary view from inside the kremlin's military offense. >> reporter: off the syrian coast, a rare glimpse of the naval power behind the kremlin's air war. we were ferried offshore by the russian military. this really is extraordinary access that we're getting to russia's military operations in and around syria. you can see we've been brought off the coast of syria. now we're in the east of the mediterranean. we're about to go aboard that ship there, a missile cruiser and one of the most important russian vessels in this entire region. on board we're shown why it's such a formidable symbol of russian power. after the shootdown of a russian warplane, the kremlin vowed to destroy anything that threatens its aircraft in syria. the captain told me his ship, bristling with anti-aircraft missiles, was sent as a warning on the direct orders of a furious russian president, vladimir putin. >>

were very concerned about this when vladimir putin first announced that he was bulling up a base in latakiard about the missile systems that were coming in and then personnel and the base and at the u.n. he declared he would startple booing targets in syria as well. they have missiles. he's also playing very hardball with the turkish prime minister, recep tayyip erdogan. erdogan has tried to meet, putin has said no. he's doing muscle flexing for sure. in addition, he's banned the whole system of no visas between turkey and russia. he's putting all sorts of spot checks and stopping goods flowing from turkey into russia, produce and other such stuff. he is making his move to try to face down what happened. but it would be hard to imagine deliberate shooting out of the sky of more airplanes. it is also very important to remember that russia is not in a coalition with the united states and its allies. it just isn't. they have different targets. they're not on the same side of this equation. even though they are trying, the u.s., to bring in the political situation around some kind of transition

our senior international correspondent, matthew chance, takes us to the western city of latakia. a refugee camp where thousands say they'd prefer to be under bashar al assad's control. >> reporter: in the game for