MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th December, 2019) Terrorists are preparing to stage chemical attacks and destruction of infrastructure in the south of the Idlib de-escalation zone, Maj. Gen. Yuri Borenkov, the head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation in Syria, said on Thursday.
"The Russian center for the reconciliation of the warring parties received information that the leaders of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terrorist group [formerly known as the Nusra Front, banned in Russia], together with members of the pseudo-humanitarian organization White Helmets, were plotting to stage the use of toxic substances and the destruction of civilian infrastructure in the settlements of the southern part of the Idlib de-escalation zone," he said.
The purpose of these provocations is the preparation of photo and video materials for distribution on internet resources, middle Eastern and Western media publications with allegations that Syrian government forces were using chemical weapons against civilians and conducting indiscriminate attacks, he added.
He also said that the Russian military police continued to patrol the routes in the provinces of Aleppo, al-Hasakah and Raqqa.
