Russia: MENA conflicts are ‘hotbeds of terrorism’

Russian President Vladimir Putin said conflicts in Libya, Yemen and Syria constitute hotbeds to spread terrorism into the Middle East and North Africa.

Speaking at the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit yesterday, the Russian president said the most worrying phenomenon is if the militants leave the region because this “would increase the intensity of conflicts.”

“There is still a serious case of instability prevailing in the Middle East and North Africa where armed confrontations in Libya, Yemen and the remaining gang pockets in the Syrian territories constitute sources for the spread of terrorism, drugs and weapons,” he added.

Commenting on the ceasefire agreement signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan on Monday, Putin said: “It is true, to resolve such difficult, tightly wound conflicts, it is necessary to look for compromise, to reach this compromise, and this requires courage from the side of those making the decision.”

READ: Armenians storm parliament, beat speaker after ceasefire with Azerbaijan

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced the end of the conflict over the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region in a Facebook post , saying that the government signed a deal with Azerbaijan and Russia to cease the fighting.

According to the peace deal, fighting and movement on all sides were to cease by midnight, and Armenian forces are to withdraw from territories internationally recognised as Azerbaijan’s by 20 November. The five kilometre-wide Lachin corridor will also be opened to facilitate the withdrawal and movement between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, with Russian peacekeeping forces guarding the corridor for five years while Azerbaijan is obliged to guarantee safe passage.

Armenia/Azerbaijan fighting rages – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]