29-03-2024 12:42 AM Jerusalem Timing

Putin Praises Russian Syria Strikes: Deserves High Positive Assessment

Putin Praises Russian Syria Strikes: Deserves High Positive Assessment

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the preliminary results of the Russian Air Force operation in Syria against positions of the Takfiri group, ISIL.

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the preliminary results of the Russian Air Force operation in Syria against positions of the Takfiri group, ISIL (so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Levant).

"We know how complicated these anti-terrorist operations are. It is too early to review the results, but what has been done deserves high positive assessment."

The Russian leader said Moscow will give support to the Syrian Army’s fight on the ground against ISIL.

Russian President Putin with his Defense Minister“As for further work, we hope that it will be synchronized with the actions of the Syrian Army on the ground and military-space forces will effectively support the offensive operation of the Syrian Army [against terrorists].”

Meanwhile, Putin ordered the Russian military to continue cooperation with the US, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iraq and Iran on Syria.

“We should continue working with our foreign partners. Because without their participation, without the participation of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, US, Iraq, Iran and neighboring countries, it will be hard to organize such work in a proper way,” Putin said.

On the other hand, the Russian strongman noted that French President Francois Hollande has proposed uniting the forces of the so-called Free Syrian Army and President Bashar Assad’s army to battle ISIL militants.

"During [my] recent visit to Paris, French President Francois Hollande expressed an interesting idea, saying it is worth trying to unite the efforts of [Syrian President Bashar] Assad's army and the so-called Free Syrian Army,” Putin said during a meeting with Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu.

He said, however, that Russia does not know where exactly the FSA is or who heads it.

“If we assume that this [FSA] is the military wing of the so-called healthy part of the opposition, then uniting their forces [with Assad’s army] against the common enemy – ISIL, Jabhat al-Nusra and other terrorist organizations – could create good ground for the political settlement in Syria,” Putin added.

Moscow launched its military operation against ISIL terrorists at the request of the Syrian government on September 30. Since the start of the operation, the Russian military have destroyed at least 112 objects belonging to Takfiris.

Among them are 19 commanding points, 12 ammunition depots, 71 armored vehicles and six factories that produced explosive devices, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said Wednesday.