DAMASCUS /Syria/, September 12. /TASS/. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus on Tuesday at the instruction of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Russian foreign ministry reported.

"At the instruction of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Defense Minister Army General Sergei Shoigu paid a working visit to Damascus, Syria, on September 12 to hold talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad," the ministry said.

"The sides discussed current issues of military technical cooperation in the context of successful actions of Syrian government forces with the backing of the Russian aerospace force to exterminate the terrorist group Islamic State (outlawed in Russia) in Syria," the ministry noted.

Shoigu and Assad also discussed issues of stabilization of the situation in Syria, functioning of de-escalation zones and humanitarian assistance to the population.