Putin: The right way to combat int’l terrorism in Syria is by taking preventive steps

Moscow, SANA- Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that the only right way to combat international terrorism in Syria is by taking preventive steps and killing insurgents and terrorists in areas which they control without having to wait for them to “come to our homes.”

RT website quoted Putin as saying during his meeting with members of the Russian government on Wednesday that “thousands of militants from different countries are fighting in the ranks of the terrorist groups and if they succeed in Syria they will return to their home countries or come to Russia.”

Putin pointed out that ISIS terrorist organization has long ago declared Russia an enemy.

The Russian Federation Council unanimously approved earlier on Wednesday the request of the Russian President Vladimir Putin allowing the use of the Russian Air Force in Syria.

Putin affirmed that the Russian operations in Syria will be limited to airstrikes.

“We certainly are not going to plunge head-on into Syrian conflict and we will implement our steps and in the precisely defined frameworks, firstly we will be supporting the Syrian army purely in its legitimate fight with terrorist groups and we are not going to send ground troops to Syria,” he added.

Putin pointed out that Moscow had informed all its international partners about its plans and steps in Syria and that all these states know the goals of Russian activities, calling upon all countries concerned to join the information center in Baghdad that was recently established to coordinate counter-terrorism efforts of several states.

He noted that Russia has always backed the fight against international terrorism which, he said, should be in line with the international law and the UN resolutions, or upon a request by a country on the territory of which an airstrike is delivered about military assistance.

Asked about his views on the Syria crisis, the Russian president said: ” I see that President Bashar al-Assad is ready for reform and dialogue,” adding that the only way to get Syria out of its crisis is through political reform and dialogue among all peaceful powers.

Putin added that the crisis in Syria has deep roots and various causes, including internal and international policies aggravated by blatant outside interference in the region’s affairs.

Qabas/ Manar al-Frieh/Manal

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