“We still maintain our presence in Syria to continue to persecute IS.
This is part of our coalition efforts.
They are still there and still pose a threat, "TASS quotes him.
Kirby noted that the bulk of the group has already been defeated, but a significant part of the territory remains uncontrolled in the SAR.
Earlier, the interdepartmental coordination headquarters of Russia and Syria published a joint statement in which they stated that the goal of the Western countries in Syria is to plunder the republic's national wealth, and their actions in the region have nothing to do with the war against terrorism.
As stated on February 26 at the Center for Reconciliation of Warring Parties in Syria, the American command continues to forcibly hold refugees in the Syrian camp of Al-Rukban, which confirms the US's interest in maintaining a "conveyor belt" for training extremists there.
* "Islamic State" (IS) - the organization was recognized as terrorist by the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of December 29, 2014.