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Fight against Islamic state

Russian Defense Ministry: Jabhat al-Nusra probably preparing for offensive in Syria’s Hama

The terrorist group is concentrating its gunmen in the northwest of Syria’s province of Hama

© EPA/STRINGER

MOSCOW, March 21. /TASS/. Jabhat al-Nusra is concentrating its gunmen in the northwest of Syria’s province of Hama probably getting prepared for an offensive, the Russian center for reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria said on its regular bulletin posted on the official website of the Russian Defense Ministry on Sunday.

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"Terrorists never stop attempts to frustrate the peace process in Syria. According to reports reaching the Russian reconciliation center from resident of the Hama province, armed units subordinate to Jabhat al-Nusra are being concentrated in the northwestern part of this province. Such concentration of forces may mean that the terrorists are getting prepared for an offensive," the document says.

Russian has bben conducting a military operation against the Islamic State and the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist groups (borth outlawed in Russia) since September 30. On March 14, 2015 Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered to pull out the main part of the Russian air group from Syria. He said the Russian military had coped with its tasks by and large. Two Russian military facilities in Syria will remain operational - the Hmeimim air field and Tartus. The Russian Defense Ministry, too, has said the struggle with terrorists will go on.

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Russia's military grouping in Syria

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