Russia: Offensive in Syria could spark 'world war'

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev warned Thursday that if Arab forces entered the Syrian war, they could spark a "new world war" and urged ceasefire talks instead.
Medvedev's comments come after Brig. Gen. Ahmed Al-Assiri, the spokesman of the Saudi-led coalition force in Yemen, announced Thursday that Saudi Arabia's decision to send troops to Syria is "final."
He said that Riyadh is "ready" and will fight with its US-led coalition allies to defeat Islamic State  in Syria, adding that the decision on whether to utilize the deployment will be up to Washington.
Russia along with Saudi Arabia's fierce Shi'ite rival Iran have been militarily propping up Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria.