Idlib Terrorists May Be Moved to One Area to Cut Civilian Losses - Astana Platform Member

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th September, 2018) The terrorists in the Syrian Idlib province are likely to be moved to the Jisr al-Shughur in order to reduce casualties among the civilians, representative of Astana opposition platform Mahmoud Afandi told Sputnik Monday.

According to the United Nations, Idlib is the base for approximately 10,000 members of the Nusra Front and Al Qaeda terrorist groups (both banned in Russia).

"Most likely, all terrorists will be moved to one area - Jisr al-Shughur. This place already now has almost no civilians," Afandi said.

The opposition member noted that the main issue would be how to remove terrorists from the city of Idlib.

"The main question now is how to remove Nusra from the city of Idlib... For civilians, corridors will be opened," he added.

While the Syrian government has eliminated terrorists in vast territories of the country, Idlib is still occupied by the militants. Since late August, tensions have escalated in the region, with Russia claiming that terrorists were preparing a false-flag chemical attack there, set to provoke western retaliatory strike. The West, meanwhile, tends to believe that it is Damascus that plans to carry out an attack against civilians.