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Defense Ministry slams US, Jordan for inaction in southern de-escalation zone

Four de-escalation zones were set up in Syria under the agreements reached by Russia, Iran and Turkey in Astana in May 2017

MOSCOW, August 2. /TASS/. The countries acting as guarantors in the southern de-escalation zone, namely, the United States and Jordan, have failed to take any measures when the situation in southern Syria deteriorated, although they were regularly briefed on the situation there, chief of the Russian General Staff’s Main Operations Directorate, Colonel-General Sergei Rudskoi, said on Thursday.

"Russia regularly briefed the guarantor nations of setting up the southern de-escalation zone, the US and Jordan, on the deterioration of the situation and the dire humanitarian situation in southwestern Syria. However, our foreign partners have failed to take measures to stabilize the situation," he emphasized.

According to Rudskoi, terrorists attempted to seize the area controlled by the government troops. "Russian military police servicemen who are on duty at the posts along the line of disengagement were facing real danger," he added.

Four de-escalation zones were set up in Syria under the agreements reached by representatives of Russia, Iran and Turkey at the talks in Astana in May 2017. The de-escalation zones include the Idlib Province, some parts of its neighboring areas in the Latakia, Hama and Aleppo provinces north of the city of Homs, Eastern Ghouta, as well as the Daraa and Quneitra provinces in southern Syria.