MOSCOW. Jan 25 (Interfax) - Any kind of interference with the Syrian affairs, including that of military nature, not sanctioned by official Damascus, is considered as an act of aggression, Syrian Ambassador to Russia Riad Haddad has told Interfax.
"Any interference in Syria's affairs without a consent expressed by its government is considered as an aggression against the Syrian people," Haddad told Interfax when commenting, at the request of the news agency, on the statement made by Pentagon head Ashton Carter that operations to liberate main strongholds of terrorists from IS (the 'Islamic State' organization outlawed in Russia) in the cities of Al-Raqqah (Syria) and Mosul (Iraq) are to be carried out with participation of ground forces.
In an interview with CNBC television on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum going on in Switzerland's Davos, Carter explained that in this case some "boots on the ground" are needed. However, he did not say what countries may be involved.