Russia defends its military action in Syria

MOSCOW -- As Russian warplanes carried out a second wave of airstrikes Thursday in Syria, Moscow defended its military involvement against Western criticism of its intentions, saying it sees "eye to eye" with the U.S.-led coalition campaign on its targets in the country.

The claim of agreement with Washington came amid conflicting reports about Russia's intentions in Syria and whether it is targeting only Islamic State and al-Qaida-linked militants.

The U.S. and its allies fear Russia, which has backed the family of President Bashar Assad since the current leader's father was in power, is using the air campaign as a pretext to go after anti-Assad rebels that include CIA-backed groups.

Russian jets appeared to be bombing primarily central and northwestern Syria, strategic regions that are the gateway to Assad's strongholds in the capital of Damascus and the coast.

Warplanes hit locations of a U.S.-backed rebel group, Tajamu Alezzah, in the central province of Hama, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. It added Tajamu Alezzah also was targeted a day earlier.

Idlib province appeared to bear the brunt of the attacks, activists said. The province is controlled by a coalition of rebel groups that include the al-Qaida-linked Jabbat al-Nusra.

In Syria's chaotic civil war and rapidly shifting battlefield terrain, however, it can be difficult to distinguish which group holds what territory.

On Wednesday, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Russian warplanes "didn't hit Islamic State," and U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter also had said the Russians appeared to have targeted areas that did not include IS militants.

Speaking Thursday at the United Nations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov rejected suggestions the airstrikes were to shore up support for Moscow's main ally in the Middle East.

He insisted Russia was targeting the same militant groups as the U.S.-led coalition, which is conducting its own airstrikes in Syria: the Islamic State, also known as ISIL, the al-Qaida-linked Jabbat al-Nusra and other groups.