In talks with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad, Russian President Vladimir Putin has lashed out at Turkey and the United States because those countries have soldiers stationed in Syria.
This military presence without a United Nations mandate makes it more difficult to find a solution, Putin says.
“The foreign troops are making it difficult to consolidate the situation in the country,” the Russian leader said. He praised Assad for his response to the insurgents in Syria. “Terrorists have suffered extensive damage, and the Syrian government has regained control of 90 percent of the country.”
The Turks have occupied parts of northern Syria, and they say because they are fighting terrorists in the border region who threaten Turkey. This mainly concerns Kurdish groups. There are still about 900 American soldiers in the country. They support the rebels of the Syrian Democratic Forces in the fight against IS.
Assad thanked Putin for his support in the civil war. The advance of the Syrian government army is primarily due to the assistance of the Russian army, especially the bombing carried out on opponents of the regime.
Syria has been in civil war since 2011 after Assad decided to crack down on protests against him and his government. Several militias are active in the country, including the Kurdish YPG and the jihadist terrorists of IS.