War on terrorism in Syria continues, Russian Senior Officer says

Head of the Russian National Guard, Viktor Zolotov, confirmed that the war on terrorism in Syria continues.

“Our participation in fighting terrorism in the Syrian Arab Republic continues and it is not a secret matter,” Zolotov said in an interview with the Russian news agency TASS, indicating that the Russian forces are working to ensure the safety of humanitarian missions and facilitate efforts to clear mines.

On September 30, 2015,  Russian Air Force launched a military operation at the request of the Syrian state to support the efforts of the Syrian Arab Army in its battle against terrorism. That military operation resulted in the destruction of thousands of targets of terrorist organizations, including various equipment and weapons, facilities for producing missiles, vehicles, cars and tanks transporting stolen Syrian oil to within Turkish territory.

In the context of talking about combating terrorism, Zolotov noted that the level of the terrorist threat in the Russian North Caucasus has decreased significantly in recent years. Small extremist cells still exist in this region, but the Russian security and law enforcement agencies are intercepting and thwarting them in a timely manner.

In this regard, Zolotov pointed to the killing of a terrorist involved in the attack on Domodedovo Airport in Moscow in 2011.

On the other hand, Zolotov emphasized that the officers of the Russian National Guard act within the framework of the law during unauthorized gatherings, indicating that “the way in which law enforcement personnel operate in Russia in such circumstances is completely different from other countries as we are keen to maintain public order and ensure security and the safety of our citizens ”.

Inas Abdulkareem