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Conflict in Syria

Moscow calls on armed opposition to join fight against IS in Syria

The Syrians’ unity against terrorism will lay the groundwork for enhancing trust between them, the Russian diplomat said

ASTANA, September 15. /TASS/. Russia calls on the Syrian armed opposition to join the fight against terrorist groups, Russian Presidential Special Representative for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev said at a news conference on Friday.

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"It is extremely important, as we believe, to get the armed opposition, or its constructive part, to join as soon as possible the fight against the terrorist groups operating in Syria, namely Daesh [the Arabic name for so-called Islamic State - TASS] and Jabhat al-Nusra [both banned in Russia]," Lavrentyev told reporters after the international meeting on Syria in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana.

"The Syrians’ unity against terrorism will lay the groundwork for enhancing trust between them, rather than will just merely allow to reach positive changes ‘on the ground,’ at the battlefield, in the Syrian Republic," he said. "Now, [trust] is rather shaky, as our contacts with both Syria’s government delegation and Syria’s opposition have proved. In other words, a long way lies ahead until the warring sides enhance trust."

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Syrian conflict

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