The Kremlin yesterday rebuffed criticism from US President Donald Trump of Russian and Syrian government military action in Syria’s Idlib Province, saying it was justified.
Trump on Sunday urged Russia and Syrian government forces to stop bombing Idlib, following a Kremlin statement on Friday that signaled that Moscow would continue to back a month-long Syrian government offensive there.
“Hearing word that Russia, Syria and, to a lesser extent, Iran, are bombing the hell out of Idlib Province in Syria, and indiscriminately killing many innocent civilians. The World is watching this butchery. What is the purpose, what will it get you? STOP!” he said on Twitter.
Photo: AFP
Asked about Trump’s criticism, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that militants were using Idlib as a base to launch attacks against civilian and Moscow’s troops.
“There is a fairly large buildup of terrorists and fighters in Idlib,” Peskov said.
“Terrorist fire in Idlib is of course unacceptable,” he added. “Measures are being taken to neutralise such firing positions.”
He said Russia and Turkey were coordinating their positions over the situation.
Meanwhile, Israel on Sunday launched a second round of strikes against Syria in 24 hours.
Syria accused Israel of targeting an airbase in Homs Province, reportedly killing five people, just hours after carrying out retaliatory attacks on military and intelligence posts south of Damascus, killing 10.
“Our air defenses thwarted an Israeli aggression and destroyed two of the rockets that targeted the T-4 airbase,” a military source told state-run Syrian Arab News Agency on Sunday evening.
The remaining rockets “killed one soldier, wounded two others, and damaged an arms warehouse,” the source added.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported five killed, including one Syrian soldier, adding that a rocket warehouse was destroyed.
Iranian fighters and Hezbollah paramilitary forces are also stationed at the airbase, the Observatory said.
Israel has said it is determined to prevent Iran from entrenching itself militarily in Syria.
Additional reporting by AFP
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