Russian Defense Minister Gen. Sergei Shoigu said that the activity of religious extremism under the flag of the so-called Islamic State has grown considerably as of late.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) � Russia cannot allow the spread of�the Islamic State (ISIL) terrorist threat to�reach Russia or its allies, Russian Defense Minister Gen. Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday.

"The activity of�religious extremism under�the flag of�the so-called Islamic State has grown considerably as�of late. We cannot allow the growth of�terrorist threats or its spread into�Russia or our allies," Shoigu said during�a joint meeting between�the Russian and Belarusian defense ministries.

Since September 30, Russia has been launching airstrikes against�the ISIL positions in�Syria at�President Bashar Assad�s request, and provided military and technical assistance to�Damascus beforehand.

"The Syrian government forces have switched from�defense to�offensive with�our air support and liberated parts of�their territory under�control of�Islamic State militants. We are going to�continue assisting the legitimate Syrian authority and create preconditions for�the conflict settlement," Shoigu said.

Islamic State controls large parts of�Iraq and Syria, and is notorious for�committing human rights atrocities and killings, as�well as�destroying historic cities and memorials.

Russia, Iran, Iraq and Syria created the Baghdad Information Center to�coordinate military actions against�the extremist group in�late September.

Iraqi parliament is planning to�vote on�the issue of�requesting the support of�the Russian Aerospace Forces in�fighting IS militants by�the end of�October, a member of�the State of�Law Coalition told Sputnik earlier in�the day.

By Sputnik News