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Conflict in Syria

Lavrov: There are grounds to say Turkey benefits from oil business with terrorists

According to the Russian foreign minister, the Islamic State terrorist group (banned in Russia) gets support from countries neighboring Syria and Iraq

© AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev

MINSK, May 16. /TASS/. There are grounds to say that Ankara was deriving profits from oil business with terrorists, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday.

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He said Turkey and terrorists had "an oil business and business of contraband of artefacts and other illegal movements across the border the Turkish leadership was turning a blind eye on."

"Moreover, [the Turkish leadership] was lining its pockets from this business," he said.

The minister added, the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization (banned in Russia) gets support from countries neighboring Syria and Iraq.

"They get support from the outside, first of all, from the countries that neighbor Iraq and Syria," Lavrov said.

Caliphate from Portugal to Pakistan

The foreign minister noted that terrorists are actively recruiting people. "Their aim is to create a caliphate from Portugal to Pakistan," the minister said.

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Putin highly praises Russian weapons used in Syria

"The Russian air group is helping to destroy infrastructure used by terrorists to replenish their purse," he continued.

However, he stressed, the war on terrorism is not over. "That is why we are now saying that it is necessary to separate the wheat from the chaff to see the key problem, as we once were able to see Nazism and fascism," he added.

"Today, we are far from the end of the road and have a great deal to do," he said. "But if everything that has been agreed within the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) and the United Nations Security Council is implemented honestly, there are all the chances to bring the situation out of the current state."

Russia's military operation in Syria

Russia’s Aerospace Forces launched pinpoint strikes against the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra targets in Syria on September 30, 2015 at the request from Syria’s President Bashar Assad. The Syrian army liberated about 400 settlements with Russia's support. Serious blow was delivered on illegal oil trade used by terrorists as a key source of incomes. Key channels of arms and munitions supplies to terrorists have been blocked.

Withdrawal of the major part of Russia’s air group from Syria began on March 15. As President Vladimir Putin said in a relevant decree of March 14, the Russian military had fulfilled most of their tasks. However two Russian military bases are still active - at the Khmeimim airfield and in Tartus. The Russian military continue participation in anti-terrorism efforts.

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Syrian conflict

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