Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
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Moscow, SANA – Russian Defense Ministry said that the liberation of al-Boukamal city has revealed evidence of direct support provided by US-led coalition to Daesh (ISIS) in order to achieve its interests in the region.
On Tuesday morning, the Russian Defense Ministry released photos they said showed the Daesh convoys leaving the Syrian city of al-Boukamal.
“The Abu Kamal liberation operation conducted by the Syrian government army with air cover by the Russian Aerospace Force at the end of the last week revealed facts of direct cooperation and support for ISIS terrorists by the US-led ‘international coalition,’” the Russian Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
“The coalition’s aviation tried to create obstacles for the aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces in this area to safely shield militants of the Islamic State, who are leaving Abu Kamal, from the strikes of government forces,” the ministry noted.
In the statement, the Ministry pointed out that the Russian forces command has suggested conducting a joint operation with the US-led coalition to destroy terrorist convoys heading in the direction of Iraq on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, but the suggestion has been rejected.
“The US side categorically refused to carry out airstrikes against Daesh terrorists, claiming that the militants were ‘voluntarily surrendering’ and now fell under the provisions of the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War,” the statement read.
“To this aim, the coalition’s attack aircraft entered the airspace over the 15-km zone around the city to hamper the Russian aircraft’ mission,” it added.
“Such actions by the coalition prove that the advancing Syrian forces in the Abu-Kamal area have crippled the US plans to create a zone to the east of the Euphrates river that would be controlled by pro-American forces rather than by Damascus,” according to the Defense Ministry.
The Ministry noted that “the plan stipulated that Daesh would play a role of pro-American forces disguised as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). To support the claim, the military representatives said that the SDF flags were found in Abu Kamal.”
“There is indisputable evidence that the United States pretends it is waging irreconcilable struggle against international terrorism in front of the international community, while in reality it provides cover for the combat-ready Islamic State groups to let them regain strength, regroup themselves and advance US interests in the Middle East,” the Ministry added.
M.al-Frieh/H. Said
