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Russia supports Iraq’s efforts to combat all acts of extremism - Russia foreign ministry

MOSCOW, December 17, 21:33 /ITAR-TASS/. Russia supports the efforts that the incumbent Iraqi authorities are taking to combat decisively all manifestations of extremism and terrorism, spokesman of the Russian Foreign Ministry Aleksander Lukashevich said in the Russian capital on Tuesday.

“According to available reports, new terrorist acts were committed in Iraq and were mainly targeted against the civilians,” he said. “More than 40 people coming to the Shiite shrines in the city of Kerbela fell victims of the terrorist acts in the city of Baghdad. Seventeen other pilgrims were killed in a terrorist act in Mosul and five people were killed in an attack of the Jihadists on the city authorities in Tikrit, where the Sunnites mainly live. The terrorist raids have killed more than 60 people and wounded more than 100 people throughout the country for the past two days,” Lukashevich said.

“It is noteworthy that the acts of violence are committed with the obvious goal to fan up inter-confessional strife,” the Russian diplomat added. “The attempts to instigate the disagreements between the Sunnites and the Shiites and to mount tension on vast territories not only in Iraq, but also in Syria and Lebanon are evident. Meanwhile, similar ways of provocations and terrorism are used against the civilians,” the spokesman said.

“As it was reported recently the Jihadists have captured the town of Adra, 20 kilometres northeast of Damascus, committed a massacre there,” he said. “The families of Alawites and Druses were among the casualties. About 80 people were killed, more than 200 civilians were taken hostage,” he said.

“Moscow is convinced that it is needed to put an end to such criminal offences that deserve comprehensive and resolute condemnation,” the spokesman of the Russian Foreign Ministry noted. “The counteraction to their perpetrators and sponsors from the international community should be effective and uncompromising,” Lukashevich added.

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