Russia in contact with 'strongest force' in Syria

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said on December 12 that Moscow has established direct contact with the political committee of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) opposition military group in Syria and that contacts with HTS are "progressing in a constructive direction," according to Interfax news agency.

Bogdanov added that Moscow expects HTS to fulfill its commitments to “resist any excesses,” maintain order and ensure the safety of diplomats and other foreigners. HTS is now the most powerful force in Syria after leading the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime last weekend, according to Reuters.

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Mr Bogdanov also stressed that Moscow hopes to maintain two Russian bases in Syria, including the naval base in Tartus and the Khmeimim air base near Latakia, to continue international counterterrorism efforts. He argued that maintaining the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) "requires joint efforts and in this connection our presence and the Khmeimim base play an important role in the fight against international terrorism in general".

A member of the HTS group in northern Syria

At a press conference after meeting Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Ankara yesterday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also stressed the need for both sides to continue their efforts to fight IS in Syria. Mr. Blinken added that there was broad consensus on what Turkey and the US wanted to see in Syria after al-Assad was overthrown, according to Reuters. Mr. Fidan stressed that Türkiye's priority in Syria was to ensure stability and prevent the dominance of groups Ankara considers terrorists, according to Reuters.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nga-lien-lac-voi-luc-luong-manh-nhat-o-syria-18524121323252101.htm