Lavrov: US Eyes Partitioning of Syria

The US appears to be aiming at dividing Syria, as US troops still linger in the country even after its promise to end the mission after the elimination of Daesh terrorists, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

“It’s very likely that the Americans have taken a course of dividing the country. They just gave up their assurances, given to us, that the only goal of their presence in Syria – without an invitation of the legitimate government – was to defeat ‘Islamic State’ (IS, formerly ISIS) and the terrorists,” Lavrov said, according to RT.

Regarding pledges to keep a limited military contingent in Syria, Lavrov says the US is not being open about their true objectives.

  “Now [the Americans] are saying that they will keep their presence till they make sure a steady process of a political settlement in Syria starts,” the minister said during a conference in Sochi.

The foreign minister said there are “plans of virtual division of Syria.”

“We know of [them] and we will ask our American colleagues, how they are seeing [Syria’s division].”

The US has nearly 2,000 servicemen currently stationed in Syria. In December, the Pentagon announced the troops will remain on the ground for as long as needed “to support our partners and prevent the return of terrorist groups.” Secretary of State Rex Tillerson later reiterated the plan.

Although the Syrian government regards the deployment of US troops on its sovereign territory as illegal, Washington justifies its presence under the pretext of fighting Daesh militants.

Moscow, which operates in the country on the Syrian government’s request, insists that the US has no grounds to have a military presence in the country without the permission of the Syrian government.

Washington has also been arming and funding various groups under the banners of the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) and the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

“The US, flirting with various segments of Syrian society that oppose the government with arms in their hands, may lead to very dangerous consequences,” Lavrov warned.

H.M