Al Qaeda Syria Jihadists To Kill Russians? Al-Nusra Front Looks To React To Airstrikes

The al Qaeda affiliate in Syria is calling on jihadists to kill all Russians over the air attacks in the Middle Eastern country that began two weeks ago. In a recording released Monday evening, the head of the Nusra Front called on his fellow militants to seek retaliation for the deaths of Syrians.

"If the Russian army kills the people of Syria, then kill their people. And if they kill our soldiers, then kill their soldiers. An eye for an eye," Abu Mohammed al-Jolani said.

"The war in Syria will make the Russians forget the horrors that they found in Afghanistan," Jolani added. "They will be shattered, with God's permission, on Syria's doorstep."

Rockets reportedly hit Russia's Damascus embassy Tuesday while demonstrators gathered outside to support the Russian intervention. Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized the United States for what he categorized as a lack of cooperation.

"Some of our partners simply have mush for brains," Putin said, pointing out that Washington has refused to share intelligence with Russia in Syria.

There has been a flurry of action in the last 24 hours, both at the orders of Washington and Moscow. Russian forces struck 86 terrorist infrastructure targets in the provinces of Raqa, Hama, Idlib, Latakia and Aleppo, according to Russian officials. During that same period, the United States and coalition allies reportedly air-dropped ammunition to the Syrian Arab Coalition, which is battling jihadists near a northern stronghold of the Islamic State militant group, also known as ISIS.

Russia criticized the American-led arms drop, saying the weapons easily could get into the wrong hands.

The 2-week-old Russian air campaign in Syria has increased tensions between Washington and the Kremlin, as both sides have questioned the intentions of the other. Russian planes also have been escorted out of Turkish airspace, an act that has sparked concern of potential aggression between the two countries that could pull in military action from the United States and the rest of NATO in opposition to Russia.