Russia Vows to Wipe out Terrorist-Run Drone Assembly Workshops in Idlib
BERLIN- Russia has information where the terrorists assemble drones in Idlib and it will be eliminating these underground workshops, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a meeting of the German-Russian forum on Friday, Itar Tass reported.
“We have intelligence information where drones are assembled in Idlib from components smuggled there,” he said. “As soon as we get such information, we will be eliminating such underground workshops that make lethal weapons.”
“What some describe as the beginning of a Russia-supported offensive by the Syrian army is malicious distortion of facts. Both the Syrian forces and we merely react to hit-and-run raids from Idlib,” Lavrov said. “It is very hard to detect drones with ordinary air defense weapons. Many of them are made of wood and cannot be seen on radar screens.”
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on September 5 that two Russian frontline bombers Sukhoi-34 wiped out a Jabhat al-Nusra (outlawed in Russia) workshop in Idlib, where militants assembled attack drones and kept in store ammunition for them.
In the early hours of September 4, air defense systems of the Hmeimim air base shot down two drones the militants hand launched. Both drones were eliminated far away from the base. Over the past month 47 drones have been shot down or neutralized in the area of the Russian base.
Russia will continue supporting Syria in combating terrorism
Elsewhere in his remarks, Lavrov said Moscow stands with Syria in the fight against terrorism, adding that the presence of foreign forces which have not been invited by the Syrian state is illegal.
He added said that Russia has provided information on chemical attacks being prepared in Idleb by the “White Helmets” organization which is cast by the West as an example of humanitarian assistance, but in fact it is the opposite, SANA reported.
Lavrov went on to say that accusing Syria of chemical weapons’ use in Idleb and allegedly attacking it as a response is considered to be direct support for terrorists, which serves to prompt terrorists to fabricate a new play as they did in Eastern Ghouta.
He pointed out that Idleb is the only remaining bulwark for terrorists who use civilians as human shields and continue attacks using drones against Russian forces, stressing that Russia will target the places where these drones are used.
SANA said that the Russian Minister said that work on reconciliation in Idleb is underway and Russia will not act in the same way as the Washington-led international coalition in Mosul and Raqqa where the cities were razed to the ground.
He said that Moscow will create humanitarian corridors in Syria’s Idleb, adding “we will do everything not to hurt civilian population.”
Lavrov pointed out that the unilateral coercive economic measures imposed by the West against Syria hinder the return of the displaced and the reconstruction process, calling for implementing the UN Security Council resolution No. 2254, which gives the Syrian people the right to decide the future of their country.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Lavrov said Moscow stands with Syria in the fight against terrorism, adding that the presence of foreign forces which have not been invited by the Syrian state is illegal.
He added said that Russia has provided information on chemical attacks being prepared in Idleb by the “White Helmets” organization which is cast by the West as an example of humanitarian assistance, but in fact it is the opposite, SANA reported.
Lavrov went on to say that accusing Syria of chemical weapons’ use in Idleb and allegedly attacking it as a response is considered to be direct support for terrorists, which serves to prompt terrorists to fabricate a new play as they did in Eastern Ghouta.
He pointed out that Idleb is the only remaining bulwark for terrorists who use civilians as human shields and continue attacks using drones against Russian forces, stressing that Russia will target the places where these drones are used.
SANA said that the Russian Minister said that work on reconciliation in Idleb is underway and Russia will not act in the same way as the Washington-led international coalition in Mosul and Raqqa where the cities were razed to the ground.
He said that Moscow will create humanitarian corridors in Syria’s Idleb, adding “we will do everything not to hurt civilian population.”
Lavrov pointed out that the unilateral coercive economic measures imposed by the West against Syria hinder the return of the displaced and the reconstruction process, calling for implementing the UN Security Council resolution No. 2254, which gives the Syrian people the right to decide the future of their country.
H.M