MOSCOW. Dec 21 (Interfax) - The situation is critical on the Euphrates eastern bank, as well as in Al-Tanf and the Idlib de-escalation area uncontrolled by the national government, Russian General Staff Chief Valery Gerasimov said on Thursday.
"The most critical situation persists on the Euphrates eastern bank, as well as in Al-Tanf and the Idlib de-escalation area uncontrolled by the national government, where illegal armed detachments continue to operate, strike positions of government forces and perpetrate terror attacks on the Syrian population and Syrian law enforcement agencies," Gerasimov said at a briefing for foreign military attaches.
"Illegal extraction and selling of natural resources continues in the country's northeast under the U.S. aegis," he said.