Awqaf Minister warns of wider spread of extremist mentality if not defeated now

Moscow, SANA – Minister of Awqaf (Religious Endowments) Mohammad Abdul-Sattar al-Sayyed said that the unity binding the Syrian army, leadership, and people, including Muslim and Christians coupled by the support of Syria’s friends have enabled it to face the internationally-devised takfiri terrorist attack launched against it.

Al-Sayyed was addressing members of the Syrian community in a meeting in Russia, where he is on a visit that included, besides Moscow, Bashkortostan and Tatarstan-both are republics of the Russian Federation.

He warned of the risks of extremism, which has recently spread in the region, as it distorts the essence of Islam and its reality as a holy religion.

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The Minister highlighted the importance of Syria’s victory over international terrorism, which has ravaged the country since 2011,stressing the need for defeating the extremist mentality, “otherwise the threat will spread to the Islamic areas in Russia.”

Al-Sayyed noted that the conspiracy against Syria started with exploiting the slogans of “freedom” and “democracy” just like what is now taking place in Ukraine, and mosques have been exploited to mislead people into carrying up arms and fighting the Syrian army.

For his part, Syria’s ambassador to Russia Riyad Haddad, who attended the meeting, expressed gratitude to Syria’s friends who have supported it and prevented the use of UN Security Council as a platform to breach its sovereignty, citing Russia, China and Iran in particular.

Rasha Raslan/Haifa Said