British MI6 in talks with Assad over IS 'for months': report

The British tabloid the 'Sunday Mirror' reported that UK intelligence officers have been talking to officials from Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s government for months to pave the way for attacks on Islamic State militants.

A source told the Sunday Mirror: "It makes sense that MI6 would try to make inroads with Assad by talking to his people, first through proxy channels like other Arab nations, but then directly.

"It may be there are no face-to-face meetings with Assad himself but behind the double-speak of foreign relations it is perfectly normal for them to see his senior people. It would be staggering if Britain’s intelligence agencies were not talking to Assad’s people.

"The talks they have within Syria are of invaluable benefit to Britain’s security."

The Syrian army was asked not to use its sophisticated ground-to-air missile defence system against the US-led ­coalition pounding IS fighters from the air.