RUSSIA CONTINUES TO BOMB TURKMEN VILLAGES IN THE BAYIRBUCAK TURKMEN AREA IN NORTHERN SYRIA TO BOLSTER THE DAMASCUS REGIME, WHICH IT HAS BEEN A STAUNCH ALLY OF SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE CRISIS, AND TURKISH OFFICIALS ARE ALARMED WITH THE INTENSIFIED AIRSTRIKES ON THE TURKMEN-POPULATED REGION, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY UNDER THE CONTROL OF MODERATE SYRIAN OPPOSITION GROUPS. FOLLOWING THE DEVELOPMENTS, A CLOSED-DOOR SECURITY MEETING WAS HELD AT CANKAYA PALACE HEADED BY PRIME MINISTER AHMET DAVUTOGLU YESTERDAY. TURKISH OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH U.S. OFFICIALS, WHO HAD AN OPPOSING STANCE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF RUSSIA’S AIR CAMPAIGN. CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF HULUSI AKAR, FOREIGN MINISTER FERIDUN SINIRLIOGLU, INTERIOR MINISTER SELAMI ALTINOK AND NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION (MIT) CHIEF HAKAN FIDAN TOGETHER WITH SEVERAL SENIORBUREAUCRATS ATTENDED THE MEETING. MOSCOW CLAIMED THAT THE AIRSTRIKES, WHICH STARTED AFTER RECEIVING PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL AND FOLLOWED A MILITARY BUILDUP IN SYRIA, AIMED TO SUPPORT THE FORCES OF SYRIAN PRESIDENT BASHAR ASSAD AGAINST DAESH. HOWEVER, TURKEY AND THE WEST HAVE ACCUSED RUSSIA OF TARGETING MODERATE FIGHTERS OPPOSED TO ASSAD, MANY OF WHICH ARE SUPPORTED BY TURKEY AND THE U.S.