Despite scaling down the US military presence in Syria, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that the country intends to retain control of the oil fields in northeastern Syria.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov on Friday slammed US actions in Syria as “destructive, inconsistent”, especially those regarding the country's oil fields.
On Elimination of Former Daesh Leader Al-Baghdadi
According to the senior official, the Russian military does not possess any reliable information about the results of an American operation aimed at eliminating Daesh* leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
“Our military working on the ground does not have reliable information about the conduct and the results of the mentioned operation to eliminate ex-Daesh field commander Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi”, Syromolotov said, stressing that the Russian Defence Ministry had already commented on the matter.
US President Donald Trump said on 27 October that al-Baghdadi had been killed in a US operation in Idlib, Syria.
Commenting on the claim, Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said that Moscow did not have reliable information that the US military had carried out an operation to eliminate al-Baghdadi.
Daesh later confirmed the death of al-Baghdadi and named Abu Ibrahim al-Hashemi al-Qurashi as their new leader.
On Counterterrorism Cooperation With US on Afghanistan
Russia has not received an official request…
