Russian Aerospace Forces carry out strike on militants in central Syria - Russian military
HMEIMIM, Syria. Aug 25 (Interfax) - The Russian and Syrian militaries have accomplished a massive operation against militants in the so-called "white desert" area of central Syria, a representative of the Russian contingent in Syria said on Tuesday.
"In the period between August 18 and August 24 of this year, Syrian government forces prepared and accomplished a massive operation against militants with the direct participation of Russian military advisors. Strikes delivered by aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Syrian Air Force, artillery fire, and the efforts of special ops intelligence groups resulted in the killings of 327 militants and the destruction of 134 fortifications, 17 observation posts, seven warehouses containing material supplies, and five underground arms and ammunition depots in the 'white desert' area," the representative said.
"The operation aimed at clearing the 'white desert' of the remaining militants will continue until the U.S.-backed armed units operating in that area are fully exterminated," he said.
"A surge in the activity of militant groups made up of former member of ISIL [which is a terrorist organization banned in Russia] has been observed in the so-called 'white desert' area in the central part of the Syrian Arab Republic over the past month," the representative said.
"Most militants migrated to the area after the 'amnesty' declared by the so-called 'Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria' backed by the United States," he said.
"Disconnected ISIL gangs stationed in the 'white desert' are growing with militants who received special training in the south and southeast of Syria, in the U.S.-occupied territories of the at-Tanf zone and the Syrian eastern bank of the Euphrates River," the representative said.
"By perpetrating acts of sabotage on transport routes and Syrian oil and gas facilities and attacking patrols and Syrian army posts, the militants are destabilizing the regional situation. For instance, on August 18, the explosion of an improvised bomb planted by terrorists in the Deir ez-Zor province killed senior Russian military advisor Maj. Gen. Vyacheslav Gladkikh," he said.
"The actions of terrorists undermine the process of Syria's social and economic recovery and the establishment of relations between local Arab tribes and Damascus. This situation is beneficial to the United States, first of all, and allows the U.S. to justify its presence in eastern Syria. In order to deter the terrorists, Syrian government forces and the Russian Aerospace Forces are working to uncover a network of camouflaged militant sites in the 'white desert,'" the representative said.
