Moscow. December 24. INTERFAX-AVN-Russian combat aircraft participated in an operation against militants in the south-eastern part of the Idlib de-escalation zone in Syria, Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov said.
"At the beginning of the year, in response to regular attacks by terrorists on peaceful settlements, as well as attacks on positions of government troops and Russian military facilities, the Syrian army, with the support of the Russian aerospace forces, was forced to conduct an operation to liberate the South-Eastern part of the Idlib de - escalation zone from radicals," Gerasimov said on Thursday at a briefing for foreign military attaches.
"As a result, a significant part of the territory has been returned to the control of the government of the country, conditions have been created to exclude attacks on the Hmeimim air base and the city of Aleppo," Gerasimov said.
"In general, the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic tends to stabilize," the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces stressed.
The Russian military operation in Syria has been carried out since September 30, 2015. The Russian Air Force supports ground operations of the Syrian army. Russia Syria has an air base at the airport "Hamim" and naval base in Tartus. It was officially reported that special operations forces of the Russian Defense Ministry, units of the Center for reconciliation of warring parties, military police and marines are operating in Syria.
