GENEVA, June 19. /TASS/. A large number of militants from the Islamic State (IS) and Jabhat al-Nusra terror groups (both outlawed in Russia) still remain in southern Syria and the Idlib area, Russian Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev said following a meeting of the guarantor countries of the Syrian ceasefire (Russia, Iran and Turkey) held in Geneva.

 A large number of militants from the Islamic State (IS) and Jabhat al-Nusra terror groups (both outlawed in Russia) still remain in southern Syria and the Idlib area, Russian Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev said following a meeting of the guarantor countries of the Syrian ceasefire (Russia, Iran and Turkey) held in Geneva.

"De-escalation zones were established especially for improving the situation, putting an end to bloodshed and ensuring the ceasefire," he said. "The situation in southern Syria was rather calm until recently, though some provocations took place. However, a large number of the IS and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists remain in the southern de-escalation zone. Very few IS members remain in northern Syria, while their number is rather large in the country’s south," the Russian envoy added.

The meeting involving Russian, Iranian and Turkish delegations, as well as United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, lasted for more than two hours. The UN envoy said the meeting had proved to be very useful and fruitful. The meeting was preceded by consultations between the three guarantor states. On Monday, the delegations met with members of Syrian opposition groups.