UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th February, 2020) Russian Permanent Representative at the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said at a Security Council meeting that terrorists in Syria's Idlib province are armed with the newest military equipment of Western origin that they target against the Syrian and Russian forces and civilians.
"There are video clips and photos; it's clear that the fighters are armed with the absolute latest version of Western military products - drones, armored vehicles,... missiles, anti-tank and anti-aircraft equipment," Nebenzia said on Friday. "These weapons directed against Syrian and Russian forces and civilians."
Nebenzia added that the Syrian government has the legitimate right to respond to the threat posed by those terrorists operating on Arab republic's soil.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo also said during the meeting that fighters of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terror group (formerly known as Nusra Front, banned in Russia) have continued to strike civilians indiscriminately.
The situation in Idlib escalated on Thursday after fighters of the HTS launched a large-scale attack on the positions of the Syrian government forces who returned fire.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Turkish military, which should not have been at the positions held by the terrorists, also came under attack. As a result, 33 soldiers of the Turkish army were killed, and more than 30 were injured.
