The Taliban has denied that it held talks with Russian officials about efforts to combat Islamic State (IS) militants in Afghanistan as a British newspaper reported that President Vladimir Putin had met the group's leader earlier this year.

• December 28, 2015

Russian air forces have not hit civilian targets since they started a bombing campaign in Syria nearly three months ago, a senior Russian officer said in an interview with Rossiya 24 television.

• December 27, 2015

The Taliban denied reports that representatives had met Russian officials to discuss the common threat from Islamic State in Afghanistan as a British newspaper reported that President Vladimir Putin had met the Taliban leader.

• December 27, 2015

A top Syrian rebel leader and head of the most powerful insurgent group in the eastern suburbs of Damascus was killed in an aerial raid that targeted the group's headquarters, rebel sources and the Syrian army said on Friday.

• December 25, 2015

Syria is ready to enter peace talks in Geneva, the country’s foreign minister has said during an official trip to China.

• December 24, 2015

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is heading to Moscow for an annual bilateral summit expected to focus on defense and energy cooperation.

• December 23, 2015

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has condemned a suspected Russian military attack on the Syrian city of Idlib, adding Syrian territory will not be part of “Russian imperialist goals.”

• December 22, 2015

Russian warplanes are said to have bombed a rebel-held city in northern Syria, killing scores of people.

• December 20, 2015