Lavrov: Daesh-Related Groups Surface in US-Controlled Area of Syria

MOSCOW- Daesh-related groups have stepped up their activity in the area of Al-Tanf, controlled by the United States, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a news conference on Monday, Itar Tass reported.

“We have gathered much evidence some strange things are happening in Al-Tanf. In our point of view this area is of no considerable significance for the anti-terrorist operation. In practice we can see that in this area, including the Rukban refugee camp, armed groups appear ever more often and, according to our sources, they have connections with the [Islamic State].”

 He recalled that the issue had been repeatedly brought up in the course of various contacts with US partners.

“We drew attention to the fact that this is in conflict with our agreements as to how to arrange for de-escalation work in Syria within the framework of regular contacts between the military,” Lavrov said.

Moscow expects Washington to withdraw troops from Syria’s Al-Tanf as their presence there is pointless from the military standpoint, Lavrov said, commenting on media reports about US plans to pull troops out of the area.

“As for media reports about the US making plans to withdraw troops from the Al-Tanf area, I have already said that this zone was artificially created for reasons that are difficult to understand from the standpoint of military feasibility,” he said. “This is why our Defense Ministry has been drawing our US counterparts’ attention to that fact and they seem to be coming to the same conclusion,” the Russian top diplomat noted, adding that he expected practical steps to that end.

US President Donald Trump claimed earlier that once the operation against the [Islamic State] terror group (IS, outlawed in Russia) was over, the further presence of US troops in Syria would be pointless so they would return home soon.

Lavrov also stressed that only Syrian government troops should be located on the country’s Southern borders.

H.M