MOSCOW, December 27. /TASS/. Actions of Russia’s aerospace forces have helped prevent further spread of militant influences in Syria in 2016, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a report on major foreign policy results of 2016 that was posted on its official website on Tuesday.
"As part of the Russian aerospace forces’ operation conducted in Syria under the request from the official authorities, efficient joint actions stopped further spread of the sphere of influence of militants, vast territories earlier seized by them were liberated. The country’s biggest city, Aleppo, has been liberated," the ministry said. "With participation of the Russian military from the center for reconciliation of the warring parties, more than 1,000 settlements and about a hundred of armed opposition groups have signed agreements on joining the ceasefire regime or declared their commitment to its terms."
Russia’s political course in the Middle East aimed at stabilization of the situation and political settlement of conflicts "promotes better understanding of the necessity to pool efforts to counter common challenges and threats, as well as coordination of approaches in a bid to get the region out of the sate of a multi-level crisis," the ministry said. "It is applicable to participation in efforts to find ways out of crisis situations in Libya, Yemen, Iraq, and promoting the resumption of the process of the Middle East settlement which can yield results only via direct dialogue between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders."