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Conflict in Syria

Terrorists in Syria’s southwest may be liquidated shortly, says Russian diplomat

According to the ambassador, if the pace of fight against terrorists in Syria is kept up, the country may be fully freed from militants "in the foreseeable future"

MOSCOW, July 18./TASS/. All terrorists in the southwest of Syria will be fully liquidated within the next few weeks, and possibly even days, Russian Ambassador in Damascus Alexander Kinshchak told Rossiya 24 television on Wednesday.

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Syrian government troops take control of 90% of Daraa province — Russian diplomat

"An anti-terrorist operation in the southwest [of Syria] was launched in summer, it progresses successfully and is close to an end. I hope settlement of the task to liquidate terrorist organizations there is a matter of several weeks, and maybe even days," the diplomat said.

According to the ambassador, if the pace of fight against terrorists in Syria is kept up, the country may be fully freed from militants "in the foreseeable future".

In July 2017, Moscow, Washington and Amman agreed to establish a de-escalation zone in southwestern Syria that would include the provinces of Daraa, Quneitra and Suwayda. However, tensions escalated there in the past several months. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Syrian opposition units, as well as members of the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra terror groups (outlawed in Russia) seek to establish an autonomy in southern Syria, which may split the country.

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Syrian conflict

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