Russia Has Information on Where Terrorists Keep Chemical Weapons Components: Shoigu

MOSCOW- Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoigu has called for joint and transparent international struggle against the terrorist takfiri organizations that have chemical weapons at their disposal in Syria.

In a statement at the upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, on Wednesday, Shoigu said that Russian Defense Ministry has information at its disposal where the terrorist organizations called “Islamic State” and “Jabhat al-Nusra” (outlawed in Russia) keep chemical weapons components.

“There is evidence that both the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra have chemical weapons components. We know where the components are and who keeps them. Is there any guarantee that tomorrow they will not surface in some other country?” he said, according to Itar Tass.

He added that reports on using chemical weapons in Syria have become a media weapon used for political purposes, stressing that Moscow has become completely sure that most of the alleged videos and reports, accusing the Syrian government of carrying out chemical attacks, had been fabricated and filmed even before they took place.

 Russia-US contacts

Shoigu went on to say that Russia and the United States continue discussing the situation in Syria in a round-the-clock mode.

“We did not halt contacts and cooperation with them, this is also happening almost in a round-the-clock mode, we are talking with them during the day and the night, and we are meeting at different venues,” Shoigu said.

“A great work is underway with them,” Shoigu said. “We would like it to be completed and presented as a project ready for implementation. But we are working with them and working, naturally, on the southern zone of de-escalation,” the minister said.

Russian aircraft carried out 4 times more missile attacks than coalition

Russia’s Aerospace Forces made three times more sorties and delivered four times more missile and bomb attacks in Syria than the international coalition, according to Shoigu.

“The comparative analysis of results of actions in Syria by Russia’s aviation and the international coalition shows that our Aerospace Forces, which had fewer aircraft, carried out three times more sorties and delivered four times more missile and bomb attacks,” Shoigu said.

Political importance of Aleppo liberation

The liberation of the Syrian city of Aleppo is of major political importance for the country, Shoigu said.

“Liberation of Aleppo, which is considered the second capital of Syria, was the main achievement of last year. This victory has not only military, but also major political importance for the whole country,” Shoigu said.

He said last year a major group of Daesh terrorists was defeated north of Aleppo by the Syrian army and in cooperation with the Russian air force.

“Palmyra has been liberated, oil and gas fields Jizel, Haiyan and Shaer have been returned under government control. Besides, the situation has stabilized in the area of Hama,” Shoigu said.

“Terrorists have been driven more than 30 kilometers away from the city. Under the mediation of Russian military, the withdrawal of more radical extremists and their families from Al-Waer in Hama suburbs has been completed. As a result, the city is fully controlled by the Syrian government,” Shoigu said.

H.M