Syrian Foreign Minister:

Gov't Forces to Focus on Defeating Terrorists in Idlib

TEHRAN (defapress)- The Syrian government’s priority is to free the Northwestern Idlib province from terrorists, the country's Foreign Minister Walid Moallem stated.

News ID: 74415

Date: 18 December 2018 - 15:15

Speaking at Damascus University Moallem said that the country's authorities were in constant coordination with Russia on Idlib, according to state news agency SANA.

He accused Turkey of violating the October deal with Russia to set up a buffer zone in the province between Syrian troops and armed opposition, but stressed that Damascus preferred political dialogue.

Speaking about the constitutional committee, Moallem said it was too early to say when it would convene after accusing unspecified Western countries and Turkey of stalling its formation.

The mentioned 9-12 mile deep demilitarized zone in Idlib was agreed to be set up by Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on September 17, along the contact line of the armed opposition and the government forces.

The Idlib province in northwest Syria is the last remaining stronghold of terrorist groups operating in the country, including al-Nusra Front terrorist organization, which has joined forces with four other jihadi groups in Idlib to form a terrorist alliance called Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at.

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