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.
Gerasimov described the situation in Syria, where the ongoing terrorist activity and sanctions imposed by the U.S.-led West are hindering the normalization of peaceful life, as difficult.
"The situation is also complicated by the aftermath of a natural disaster, which occurred in February of this year and affected over 8 million Syrians," he said.