Lavrov: “We support the Syrian Army’s response to provocations of the terrorist groups in Idleb”

MOSCOW, (ST)-  Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stressed the need to completely eliminate terrorism in Syria and to help displace Syrians return home.

In a press conference with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman al-Safadi in Moscow on Wednesday, Lavrov said “we support the Syrian army’s response to the provocations of the terrorists in Idleb, whose rocket and mortar fire has been targeting neighboring areas as well as Syrian army positions and Russia’s Hmeimim base.

He called on the Turkish regime to implement its obligations pursuant to Sochi agreement.

The Russian top diplomat affirmed the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the region’s countries and to find peaceful solutions to the crises in Syria, Iraq and Libya based on national dialogue.

He reiterated that “there is no alternative but to uproot terrorism from Syria and create suitable circumstances for the return of refugees.”

He reaffirmed that the foreign troops which are illegally present in Syria must leave in accordance with the Security Council Resolutions which call on all to respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“Sustainable settlement in Syria definitely implies the withdrawal of all military forces illegally staying in the country in accordance with UN Security Council’s resolutions,” Lavrov said.  

US uses Rukban camp as a pretext for its illegal presence in Syria

Lavrov also said that the United States is using the Rukban camp, located in al-Tanf area near the Syrian-Jordanian border, as a pretext for keeping its illegal military presence in Syria. He pointed out that the Washington-backed terrorist organizations use the locals as human shields and hinder their access to humanitarian aid deliveries.

 Syria and Russia repeatedly stressed that the United States aborted several attempts to evacuate the displaced Syrians, who are trapped in al-Rukban camp within disastrous circumstances, to other places liberated from terrorism by the Syrian army. The US also has been providing cover and support to terrorist groups in the camp which continue to blackmail the residents and control most of the humanitarian aid deliveries, a provocation that has worsened the suffering of civilians within the camp, mainly children.

Hamda Mustafa