Terrorists from the Hayat Tahrir Ash-Sham group (former Nusra Front*) are planning a new provocation with the use of toxic agents in the Idlib de-escalation zone, the Russian Center for Syrian reconciliation reported on Thursday.
“According to information received by the Russian Center for Syrian Reconciliation from sources in the Idlib de-escalation zone, the terrorists of the Hayat Tahrir Ash-Sham group are planning to carry out another provocation using toxic agents,” the center said in a statement.
"According to available information, the upcoming provocation with the use of toxic agents will target the Christian-majority town of Maharda in Hama province and the humanitarian corridor near the village of Abu al-Duhur in Idlib province," the statement said.
In September, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has addressed the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly in New York City, warning that Syrian terrorists and their patrons may attempt new provocations using chemical weapons, adding that Russia would consider such efforts this "unacceptable."
"We warn terrorists and their sponsors that new provocations involving chemical weapons are unacceptable," Lavrov declared.
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The demilitarized zone in Idlib was established on September 17, when Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed on the issue.
*A terrorist organization, banned in Russia and a number of other countries.