The Syrian armed forces plan to retake the city of Raqqa from Daesh, and Russian aviation is expected to support the operation, according to Russia's UN Office envoy.





GENEVA (Sputnik) � The Syrian army is planning to�launch an offensive on�Deir Ez-Zor and Raqqa with�the support of�the Russian air group deployed in�Syria, Permanent Representative of�Russia to�the UN Office and Other International Organizations in�Geneva Alexei Borodavkin said.
"In line with�UNSC [UN Security Council] Resolution 2254, the ceasefire regime in�Syria does not apply to�Daesh, al-Nusra Front and other terrorist groups�As a result of�operations by�the Syrian armed forces with [the] support of�Russian combat aircraft [the Syrian] city of�Palmyra has been liberated, and now further offensive operations are being planned in�the direction of�Deir Ez-Zor and Raqqa," Borodavkin told reporters in�Geneva.


Syria Ceasefire Mostly Holding but�Some Forces Attempt to�Disrupt It

"There are forces that are deliberately provoking the failure of�the cessation of�hostilities. We are constantly talking about�the need to�block the Turkish-Syrian border through�which terrorist group fighters flow and weapons, military equipment and ammunition are smuggled. It is necessary to�firmly curb this flow in�order to�strengthen the ceasefire regime," Borodavkin stressed.

According to�the Russian envoy, the United States and Russia are making joint efforts to�put an end to�the Syrian conflict.
"We are well aware that there are opponents of�the cessation of�hostilities and they will do everything they can to�disrupt this regime, which is what is happening now," Borodavkin said, adding nonetheless that "in general, the regime is being adhered to."


A US-Russia-brokered ceasefire came into�force across�Syria on�February 27. Syria has been mired in�civil war since�March 2011, with�government forces loyal to�Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups. The truce does not apply to�terrorist groups such as�Daesh and al-Nusra Front.

More Militant Groups Cut Ties With al-Nusra Front, Join Ceasefire

"The groups that want to�join the cessation of�hostilities must sign relevant documents, report their exact location and disengage from�Nusra Front units because, at�present, they are, unfortunately, heavily mixed on�the battlefield," Borodavkin told reporters.

According to�Borodavkin, "certain progress" has been observed in�the US work with�illegal armed groups in�Syria.

"Contacts and cooperation between�Russian and US militaries have recently intensified. Phone conferences between�Hmeymim [Russian air base in�Syria], Amman, Moscow and Washington are regularly held. Our militaries are meeting at�the negotiating table with�maps and necessary intelligence data that help to�prevent violations of�the cessation of�hostilities and strengthen it. I think that in�the near�future many issues will be resolved within�this US-Russian military cooperation," Borodavkin told journalists.

No Evidence Jaish al-Islam, Ahrar ash-Sham Join Truce

"We heard statements from�these groups that they have allegedly joined the cessation of�hostilities [in Syria] but�we have no official confirmation [of these statements]," Borodavkin told journalists.

The envoy recalled that the leadership of�Jaish al-Islam and Ahrar ash-Sham had repeatedly stated they were fighting "shoulder to�shoulder" with�al-Nusra Front militants and called on�the jihadists to�unite in�their fight against�government forces.
"If Ahrar ash-Sham and Jaish al-Islam are serious about�finding a political solution to�the conflict in�Syria, they have to�radically change their positions," Borodavkin emphasized.


On Tuesday, Russia requested to�add the two groups operating in�Syria to�the UN sanctions list that already contains Daesh. The Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee (HNC) of�the Syrian opposition includes representatives of�both Ahrar ash-Sham and Jaish al-Islam.

By Sputnik