Assad Gives Syria Soldiers 50% Pay Hike, US Says Rebels Took Advantage of ‘Distracted’ Russia, Iran

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s recent advances in Syria show Assad’s backers, Russia and Iran, are distracted. Washington’s top diplomat also brushed aside allegations that the US was fuelling the conflict in Syria. Antony Blinken also warned against a resurgence of the Islamic State group in Syria. The US military has 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq as part of the anti-IS coalition formed in 2014. 00:00 -INTRODUCTION02:21 -IRAN ‘SURPRISED TURKEY FELL INTO US-ISRAELI TRAP IN SYRIA’03:54 -RUSSIA BACKS SYRIAN LEADERSHIP, CONDEMNING ‘TERRORIST’ REBELS06:15 – ASSAD HIKES CAREER SOLDIERS’ PAYn18oc_world n18oc_crux