Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that al-Nusra Front terrorists were getting help from the outside.
“They are still resisting, including via receiving external help, according to our information,” Lavrov said.
“Of course, the main anti-terrorist task now is to defeat Nusra Front as well,” Lavrov said at a meeting with leader of Syrian opposition movement, Tomorrow, Ahmad Jarba.
According to the Russian foreign minister, the Syrian army and its allies, with Russian support, is “putting pressure on Nusra members.”
While speaking about ISIL terrorist group in Syria, Lavrov noted that the group suffered a decisive blow and it was clear that the main fight was over.
“We are seeing positive changes in Syria. A decisive blow has been dealt on the ISIL. And although some militants who have fled the battlefield are trying either to regroup in Syria or to flee abroad, it is clear that the main fight is over.”
Meanwhile, the top Russian diplomat said that Moscow sees broad support for the Syria national dialogue congress among Syrians themselves, tribe leaders.
“Being based on the results of eight meetings in Astana, as you know, the presidents of Russia, Turkey and Iran put forward the initiative to convene the congress of the Syrian national dialogue in Sochi on January 29-30,” Lavrov said at a meeting with Ahmad Jarba.
“We see broad support for this event among the Syrians, first of all Syrians who live in their country, including the majority of tribal leaders,” he said.
According to the foreign minister, external Syrian opposition taking part in Geneva talks had been invited to the congress.
The Syrian National Dialogue Congress is the third format of reconciliation negotiations between the Syrian government and foreign-backed opposition, along with the Geneva and Astana talks.
Following last week’s eighth round of the Astana talks, Russia, Turkey and Iran, the guarantors of the ceasefire in Syria, stated that that the Congress would be held in Sochi on January 29-30, 2018, with a special preparatory meeting taking place on January 19-20.
Source: Sputnik
