Saudi Arabia: Attacks by Russia, Assad's army on Syrian opposition boost Daesh

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – JANUARY 15: Military heads from a total of 13 countries pose for a family photo before attending the “Fight against Daesh” meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on January 15, 2017. ( Suudi Arabistan Savunma Bakanlığı – Handout – Anadolu Agency )

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – JANUARY 15: Military heads from a total of 13 countries pose for a family photo before attending the “Fight against Daesh” meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on January 15, 2017. ( Suudi Arabistan Savunma Bakanlığı – Handout – Anadolu Agency )

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – JANUARY 15: Military heads from a total of 13 countries attend the “Fight against Daesh” meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on January 15, 2017. ( Suudi Arabistan Savunma Bakanlığı – Handout – Anadolu Agency )

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – JANUARY 15: Abdulrahman bin Saleh Al Bunyan, Chief of General Staff of Saudi Arabia attends the “Fight against Daesh” meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on January 15, 2017. ( Suudi Arabistan Savunma Bakanlığı – Handout – Anadolu Agency )

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – JANUARY 15: Chief of the General Staff of Turkey, Hulusi Akar attends the “Fight against Daesh” meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on January 15, 2017. ( Suudi Arabistan Savunma Bakanlığı – Handout – Anadolu Agency )

The Russian-backed Syrian army’s continuous raids against the Syrian opposition would boost Daesh’s “expansion” operation, Chief of Saudi Arabia’s General Staff Abdulrahman Bin Saleh Al-Bunyan warned on Sunday.

During the anti-Daesh coalition meeting held on Sunday in the Saudi capital Riyadh, Al-Bunyan demanded “not to engage” Shiite militias in the war against the terrorist organisation.

On Sunday, the Conference of Global Coalition against Daesh opened its activities in Saudi Arabia in the presence of Chiefs of General Staff of fourteen countries participating in the coalition.

The meetings discussed upgrading coordination among the representatives of the participating countries and promoting efforts of the international coalition which has recently achieved significant progress in its operations aimed at paralyzing Daesh’s capabilities.

They also discussed ways to enhance the participating Arab and Muslim countries in the Coalition and identify and understand the current challenges and emergency developments in the fight against the terrorist group, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

The Saudi General added that the Conference comes as an extension of the previous important conferences held in the Kingdom at the level of Chiefs of General Staff of the Coalition’s states with active participation of a large number of countries in the world to combat terrorist organisations, topped by Daesh.

He hailed the successes that have been achieved by the anti-Daesh international coalition in Iraq and Syria. “The successes have led to the terror group losing many areas that used to be under its control and to the killing of many of its top leaders,” he added.

Since the Global Coalition against Daesh was formed in 2014 Saudi Arabia has donated $500 million for relief efforts in Iraq, and has participated in air strikes against Daesh and supported intelligence operations with coalition partners.