Shoigu Sent Note About Syria To Pentagon Chief - Russian Defense Ministry

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th December, 2018) Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu recently sent two notes to US Secretary of Defense James Mattis, one of them was about Syria, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

"On an instruction from Russian Defense Minister, Army General Sergei Shoigu, two notes were handed over to Pentagon chief James Mattis through the defense attache at the US Embassy to Russia a few days ago," it said.

"The first Russian note expresses deep concern over the growing Kurdish-Arab contradictions in the US-controlled territory of Syria east of the Euphrates," the ministry said.

It said the note also pointed out there was no progress of the US-supported 'autonomous administration' on the east bank of the Euphrates in restoration of peaceful life in Syria, adding that hydrocarbon smuggling, which was taking place with actual US connivance, negatively affected the prospects of Syrian economy restoration.

"At the same time, the US-led international coalition has been unable to complete the defeat of ISIS [Islamic State, IS, banned in Russia] terrorist units near the locality of Hajin in the past 6 months," the ministry said.

It said 2,000 militants continued to hold nine settlements along the east bank of the Euphrates River, where in recent months at least 1,500 civilians have been killed in US-led coalition bombings.

The ministry said Shoigu, in the note to Mattis, also focused on the issue of the Rukban camp, where over 50,000 Syrians were forced to survive.

"The American military base in At Tanf and the US-controlled armed gangs in that area are the main obstacle for the Rukban refugees in obtaining the necessary assistance and organizing their return to their former homes," it said.