MOSCOW, February 5. /TASS/. Counterterrorist operations conducted with the support of Russian troops in Syria are going ahead, the coronavirus pandemic had almost no effect on steps to counter militants, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov told TASS in an interview.

"The Syrian government army is conducting local counterterrorist operations in a number of districts around the country with the support of the Russian Aerospace Forces. If the spread of the coronavirus infection did introduce some changes to this work, they were insignificant. The fight against terrorism continues and will do so until it is eradicated from the Syrian land," he said.

Syromolotov underlined that Russia had played "the decisive role in destroying a hotbed of international terrorism in Syria," while a sustainable ceasefire is maintained across the majority of Syria thanks to Moscow’s consistent actions. Nevertheless, tensions are still running high in some regions. For instance, according to the deputy minister, militants continue to operate in the Idlib de-escalation zone in northwest Syria "as well as in the Trans-Euphrates region in northeast and in the zone of American control around Al-Tanf in the south." "IGIL members are still carrying out sorties in the Syrian desert," he added.