David Cameron: Russia's intervention in Syria helping 'butcher' Assad

Russia's military intervention in Syria is making the situation worse and helping to support the "butcher" president Bashar Assad, David Cameron has claimed.

The Prime Minister said that Vladimir Putin's forces were not discriminating between Islamic State (IS) - also known as Isil - and moderate opposition forces who have been engaged in a bloody civil war against Assad.

Mr Cameron said: "It's absolutely clear that Russia is not discriminating between Isil and the legitimate Syrian opposition groups and, as a result, they are actually backing the butcher Assad and helping him and really making the situation worse.

"Rightly, they have been condemned across the Arab world for what they have done and I think the Arab world is right about that.

"But we should be using this moment now to try to force forward a comprehensive plan to bring political transition in Syria because that is the answer for bringing peace to the region."