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Conflict in Syria

Russia concerned over situation in Idlib de-escalation zone

Unmanned aerial vehicles launched from the Idlib de-escalation zone attack Russian military facilities, says the Defense Ministry

© EPA-EFE/ATEF SAFADI

MOSCOW, August 2. /TASS/. Moscow is concerned about the rising tensions in the Idlib de-escalation zone and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) attacks on Russian military facilities, which come from that area, Head of the Main Operations Department at Russia’s General Staff Colonel General Sergei Rudskoi said on Thursday.

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Large-scale operation in Syria’s Idlib out of question, says Russia’s chief negotiator

"Militant shelling of the government forces’ positions and civilian homes in the Aleppo, Hama and Latakia provinces from the Idlib de-escalation zone has intensified," he said, adding that "as many as 84 such incidents were recorded in the past ten days."

"Unmanned aerial vehicles launched from the Idlib de-escalation zone continue to attack Russian military facilities. The most recent attack on the Hmeimim air base took place on July 29," Rudskoi pointed out.

He pointed out that air defense systems deployed to the Russian air base had been thwarting all the attacks.

"In addition, the number of ISIL [the former name of the Islamic State terror group outlawed in Russia - TASS] militants has been growing in areas adjacent to the Al-Tanf zone controlled by US troops," the Russian general said, adding that militants conducted terrorist attacks in the Suwayda and Rif Dimashq provinces and also tried to carry out raids towards Palmyra and Deir ez-Zor. "Russian aircraft and Syrian government forces have been preventing these attempts," he added.

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