Syrian Army Plans to Launch Offensive on Daesh-Held Deir Ez-Zor, Raqqa

Local Editor

In a new field development, the Syrian army plans to launch an offensive on the two strongholds of Daesh [Arabic Acronym for the terrorist "ISIS"/ "ISIL" group] in Syria, Deir Ez-Zor and Raqqa.

According to the Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva Alexei Borodavkin, the offensive is to come with the support of the Russian air group deployed in Syria.

"In line with UNSC [UN Security Council] Resolution 2254, the ceasefire regime in Syria does not apply to Daesh, al-Nusra Front and other terrorist groups...As a result of operations by the Syrian armed forces with [the] support of Russian combat aircraft [the Syrian] city of Palmyra has been liberated, and now further offensive operations are being planned in the direction of Deir Ez-Zor and Raqqa," Borodavkin told reporters in Geneva.

He further mentioned: "There are forces that are deliberately provoking the failure of the cessation of hostilities."

In parallel, Borodavkin highlighted: "We are constantly talking about the need to block the Turkish-Syrian border through which terrorist group fighters flow and weapons, military equipment and ammunition are smuggled. It is necessary to firmly curb this flow in order to strengthen the ceasefire regime."

According to the Russian envoy, the United States and Russia are making joint efforts to put an end to the Syrian conflict.

"We are well aware that there are opponents of the cessation of hostilities and they will do everything they can to disrupt this regime, which is what is happening now," Borodavkin said, adding nonetheless that "in general, the regime is being adhered to."

"The groups that want to join the cessation of hostilities must sign relevant documents, report their exact location and disengage from Nusra Front units because, at present, they are, unfortunately, heavily mixed on the battlefield," Borodavkin told reporters.

In parallel, he stated: "Certain progress has been observed in the US work with illegal armed groups in Syria."

"Contacts and cooperation between Russian and US militaries have recently intensified. Phone conferences between Hmeymim [Russian air base in Syria], Amman, Moscow and Washington are regularly held. Our militaries are meeting at the negotiating table with maps and necessary intelligence data that help to prevent violations of the cessation of hostilities and strengthen it. I think that in the near future many issues will be resolved within this US-Russian military cooperation," Borodavkin told journalists.

"We heard statements from these groups that they have allegedly joined the cessation of hostilities [in Syria] but we have no official confirmation [of these statements]," Borodavkin told journalists.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team