MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Russian Defense Ministry assesses joint actions with the United States in Syria to be positive and both countries need to work closely in the fight against terrorism, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday.
“Overall, we positively assess our joint work with the United States in Syria. The bilateral agreement on preventing incidents in the air is working. Joint military structures responsible for both’s peace are being created,” Shoigu said.
He said that since the United States and Russia are both permanent members of the UN Security Council, then they "carry particular responsibility in supporting overall peace."
“And this is why our countries are obliged to work closely together in the fight against international terrorism. We’re ready for this. The ball’s in Washington’s court,” Shoigu added.
A US-Russia-brokered ceasefire came into force across Syria on February 27. It does not apply to terrorist groups such as Daesh and al-Nusra Front, both outlawed in many countries, including Russia.
US Department of State deputy spokesperson Mark Toner welcomed Russia’s efforts to defeat Daesh in Syria.
The efforts of the Syrian Armed Forces delivered heavy blow to terrorists, liberating vast country's territories, destroying extremists' infrastructure, Shoigu said.
"Syrian troops accompanied by Russian aviation have liberated 500 settlements and more than 10,000 square kilometers."
He added that Damascus had taken the initiative and created ground for Syrian settlement.
"Upon the Russian president’s decision, part of the [Russian] Aerospace Forces were removed from the territory [of Syria], and the remainder of the aviation group continues to deliver strikes against criminal groups. In doing so we are striving to destroy the economic basis of Daesh and its main source of income which is oil smuggling…Today, Russian efforts are focused on the political settlement of the conflict and providing humanitarian aid to the population liberated from terrorist regions," Shoigu said.
Both Washington and Moscow have been conducting military operations against terrorists in the war-torn country. The US-led international coalition of more than 60 members has been carrying out airstrikes against Daesh targets in Iraq and Syria since August and September 2014 respectively. Russia began its own operation in September 2015 at the request of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
