#publisher Daily Express World RSS Feed Daily Express Search Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. express_logo ____________________ (BUTTON) * Find us on Facebook * Follow us on Twitter * Check us on Google+ * Subscribe to our rss feed Daily Horoscope Our Apps Top 10 Our Paper Paper Archive Weather 5° London * HOME * News * Showbiz & TV * Sport * Comment * Finance * Travel * Entertainment * Life & Style * UK * World * Politics * Royal * History * Science * Weird * Nature * Obituaries * Sunday * Scotland * Weather * Home * News * World * Vladimir Putin now has celebrity status in IRAQ AND SYRIA as leader honoured in cartoons Vladimir Putin now has celebrity status in IRAQ AND SYRIA as leader honoured in cartoons VLADIMIR Putin is earning widespread praise in the Middle East for Russia's bid to obliterate the Islamic State terror group. By Tom Parfitt Tom Parfitt PUBLISHED: 03:05, Tue, Oct 13, 2015 | UPDATED: 08:49, Tue, Oct 13, 2015 Vladimir Putin portrait AFP•GETTYIraqi artist Mohammed Karim Nihaya paints Putin Images of the Russian President have started appearing on cars and billboards in Syria and Iraq in the past week. Cartoons of the Russia leader have also been widely shared on social media, portraying him as muscular and fearless, as his popularity soars in the region. In one, a bare-chested Putin holds ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by the collar and says: "Where do you think you're going? I'll flatten you like flour." Related articles * Putin offers to TEAM UP with the West to DESTROY Islamic State –... * Russian police foil ISIS plot to bomb Moscow trains as Putin... Preachers have also hailed Russia's military intervention as a turning point in the battle to defeat the depraved ISIS mentality. One, Maamoun Rahmeh, declared Putin a "giant and beloved leader" who has "destroyed the myth of the self-aggrandising America" at a mosque in Damascus last week. Russia began its air campaign in Syria on September 30 after the US-led coalition struggled to dislodge ISIS militants for over a year. Russian ships in the Caspian Sea have also fired cruise missiles over Iran and Iraq to strike Raqqa and Aleppo provinces. Vladimir Putin painting AFP•GETTY The Russian leader depicted as a boxer at an exhibition in Moscow Vladimir Putin AFP•GETTY Vladimir Putin's popularity has soared in the Middle East in recent weeks This has provided new hope among Assad's war-weary that their flailing battle against rebel factions and the Islamic State group can still be won. Dr. Samir Haddad from the central city of Homs said: "The [Russian] intervention has raised the morale of the Syrian army and the Syrian people alike. "President Putin has a distinguished personality and charisma, and it has become clear that world leaders have gradually started approving, openly or secretly, of this intervention." His appeal has even extended to Lebanon, where some demonstrators wore T-shirts bearing Putin's face at a protest on Sunday calling for Lebanese presidential elections. Vladimir Putin GETTY Putin meets Russian ministers at the end of September IFRAME: /pictures/slideshow/3216 Related articles * 150 British troops sent to deter 150,000 strong Russian force - Putin must be quaking! * Putin's bevy of beauties celebrate leader's birthday with BREAST PAINTING and kissed pics * Russia tests ray gun that can BLIND enemies as it steps up fight to WIPE OUT Islamic State Most Read Stories in World * 1 Government to seize migrants' valuables after securing backing for controversial bill Government to seize migrants' valuables after securing backing for controversial bill * 2 Whoops! 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North Korea threatens to WIPE OUT the whole of US in latest ominous taunt Daily Express Government seize migrants valuables controversial bill passed Government seize migrants valuables controversial bill passed Fury as Danish government to seize migrants' valuables after passing controversial bill Russians arrested Turkey Islamic State Daesh Russians arrested Turkey Islamic State Daesh Is Putin facing homegrown ISIS network threat? Three Russians 'linked to Daesh' arrested Anti gay marriage Kim Davis Barack Obama State of Union address Anti gay marriage Kim Davis Barack Obama State of Union address Anti-gay marriage clerk stony-faced at Obama’s final State of Union address China urged punish North Korean leader Kim Jong un testing H bomb China urged punish North Korean leader Kim Jong un testing H bomb China urged to help punish North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for testing H-bomb http://games.express.co.uk/quizzes-games?game=arkadiuminc13/a-which-wor ld-leader-are-you World War 3 North Korea threatens USA wipe out whole Kim Jong-un World War 3 North Korea threatens USA wipe out whole Kim Jong-un North Korea threatens to WIPE OUT the whole of America after hydrogen bomb launch Horror three year old boy raped refugee centre Horror three year old boy raped refugee centre Horror as 'three-year-old boy raped at refugee centre hosting 800 asylum seekers' isis militants child soldiers gweyr front kurdistan hadur isis isil daesh isa dare jihadi isis militants child soldiers gweyr front kurdistan hadur isis isil daesh isa dare jihadi Now depraved ISIS militants encourage children to execute their parents Cologne sex attacks migrants Moroccan North African Syrian refugees PEGIDA Cologne sex attacks migrants Moroccan North African Syrian refugees PEGIDA Cologne migrant rapists 'Moroccan criminals who entered Germany posing as Syrian refugees' ISIS guide tells UK jihadis lose beard, ditch mosque and wear cross before killing ISIS guide tells UK jihadis lose beard, ditch mosque and wear cross before killing Pretend to be Christians: ISIS urges UK jihadis to cut beards, shun mosques & wear crosses Syrian-Emerge-attacks-Germany-Cologne-NYE-Merkel Syrian-Emerge-attacks-Germany-Cologne-NYE-Merkel Now Germany offers refugees sex equality classes as MORE shocking rape claims emerge video north korea submarine firing missile fake video north korea submarine firing missile fake North Korea 'FAKED' footage of 'submarine capable of delivering nuke' launch missile Calais migrants block French raze Jungle camp fear affect UK asylum Britain Calais migrants block French raze Jungle camp fear affect UK asylum Britain Calais migrants to BLOCK French bid to raze Jungle camp over fear it will affect UK asylum Volkswagen plans recall cars with emissions 'cheat' devices rejected regulator Volkswagen plans recall cars with emissions 'cheat' devices rejected regulator Volkswagen plans to recall cars with emissions 'cheat' devices rejected by regulator Islamic State Daesh ISIS Philippines terror group Asia Islamic State Daesh ISIS Philippines terror group Asia ISIS splinter group forms in popular British tourist hotspot on Australia's doorstep cute labradoodle causes internet sensation cute labradoodle causes internet sensation Is this the world's cutest dog? Labradoodle is an internet sensation Cologne attacks embarrassment Merkel Germany ease deportation rules Cologne attacks embarrassment Merkel Germany ease deportation rules Another embarrassment for Merkel: Germany to ease deportation rules after Cologne attacks El Chapo fashion silk shirts El Chapo fashion silk shirts Mexican drugs lord El Chapo's shirts become must-have fashion in bizarre new trend Google Charles Perrault doodle author childrens books Google Charles Perrault doodle author childrens books Who is Charles Perrault and why is he the latest Google doodle star? 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MILLIONS of notes go up in flames after jihadi bank blitzed by US bombs Germany-Sex assaults-Vigilante-Leipzig-Cologne-Angela-Merkel Germany-Sex assaults-Vigilante-Leipzig-Cologne-Angela-Merkel GERMANY ON THE BRINK: Masked raiders run riot as migrants attacked over sex assaults Bull Fighting India banned last minute nature Bull Fighting India banned last minute nature Bull Fighting in India has been BANNED at the last minute Vladimir Putin denies Russia targeting rebels Syria Vladimir Putin denies Russia targeting rebels Syria Putin says Russia is working WITH anti-Assad groups, saying he'll bomb ISIS with ANYONE Starving city people so hungry eating pet cats Starving city people so hungry eating pet cats Starving city where people are so hungry they're eating their PET CATS Russia nuclear programme military bases Europe border Russia nuclear programme military bases Europe border Return of the Cold War? Russia to DOUBLE military presence along Europe's border in 2016 Donald Trump Hillary Clinton US presidential candidate respect women sexism Donald Trump Hillary Clinton US presidential candidate respect women sexism Donald Trump: I have MORE respect for women than Hillary Clinton Chihuahua-Killing-Pet-Dog-Floor-Honey-NewYork Chihuahua-Killing-Pet-Dog-Floor-Honey-NewYork Man arrested for Chihuahua killing after pet slammed against floor Explosion in tourist hotspot in Istanbul Turkey Explosion in tourist hotspot in Istanbul Turkey Chilling moment ISIS suicide bomber explodes killing 10 people in Istanbul tourist hotspot US missile defence system North Korea war hydrogen bomb US missile defence system North Korea war hydrogen bomb US upgrades GIANT missile defence system days after North Korea says it’s at brink of WAR [1] SEARCH ____________________ (BUTTON) CONNECT WITH US * Find us on Facebook * Follow us on Twitter * Check us on Google+ * Subscribe to our rss feed * Check our YouTube channel TODAY'S PAPER todays-paper Wednesday, 13th January 2016 See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. 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