Lavrov: Syria airstrikes will continue until ‘terrorists’ defeated

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday that his country will not stop its air strikes on Syria until armed groups, such as Jabhat al-Nusra, are defeated.

“Russian strikes will not cease until we really defeat terrorist organisations like Jabhat al-Nusra. And I don’t see why these air strikes should be stopped,” he said at a news conference in Oman’s capital Muscat.

On Tuesday, US Secretary of State John Kerry said that Russia should stop bombing opposition forces in Syria now that UN-led peace talks have started.

Lavrov said it would be difficult to impose a cease-fire unless Syria’s border with Turkey was secured to prevent smuggling and the movement of fighters.

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He added that his country has “pragmatic ideas” regarding the cease-fire process and noted that they have spoken with Washington which heads the Syria support group. These ideas would be discussed during the International Syria Support Group meeting which is due to commence in Munich on 11 February, Lavrov added.

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