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Free Syrian Army says didn't refuse Russian military support


    LONDON (Reuters) - The Western-backed Free Syrian Army said on Monday it had not refused an offer of military support from Russia and that Moscow needs to stop targeting its bases in Syria.

    Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview broadcast on Saturday that Russia's airforce, which has been bombing Islamist militants in Syria since Sept. 30, would be ready to help the rebel group, if it knew where they were.

    "We didn't turn down the offer. We just said if the Russians are serious in their offer they should stop immediately targeting our bases and targeting the civil areas," Major Issam Al Reis, a spokesman for the Free Syrian Army, told the BBC.

    "We don't need the help now, they should stop attacking our bases and then we can talk about future co-operation."

    (Reporting by Li-mei Hoang; Editing by Catherine Evans)