Stephen Lendman

Russia is committed to free Syria from the scourge of terrorism Washington supports - a noble mission deserving universal support.

On Thursday, the Kremlin said “Russia has officially informed the United States via a special communications channel that Russian forces will strike immediately US-backed forces if they attack or shell Syrian or Russian task forces operating near the Deir Ezzor city.”

“Any attempts at shelling from the areas where the militants of the Syrian Democratic Forces are based will be immediately curbed. Russian forces will suppress firing points in these areas using all means of destruction.”

There’s no ambiguity in the above statement, the Kremlin telling the Trump administration of its intentions in the only language it understands - its statement coming in response to so-called US-supported Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) attacking government positions at least twice in Deir Ezzor with mortar and rocket fire.

In retaliation for US-supported al-Nusra terrorists targeting Russian policemen in the Idlib de-escalation zone days earlier, a Russian submarine in the Mediterranean Sea fired Kalibr cruise missiles, destroying their positions, according to Russia’s Defense Ministry, saying:

“The missile strike targeted the recently detected terrorist strongholds, manpower, and armored vehicles, as well as the ammunition depots of the Jabhat al-Nusra terror group (outlawed in Russia) in the Idlib province.”

“The missiles flew about 300 kilometers. According to the objective monitoring data, all targets (were) hit” and destroyed.

Days earlier, Russian chief of staff in Syria General Aleksander Lapin said Syrian and allied forces liberated 85% of ISIS-held territory. Another 27,000 km remain to be freed from its scourge, daily progress made toward achieving this goal.

On Friday, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert falsely accused Syrian and Russian forces of striking civilians in Idlib and Hama - a US specialty, Pentagon warplanes responsible for massacring tens of thousands of civilians in Iraq and Syria since 2014, more killed daily.

Syrian and allied forces continue making gains on the ground, liberating areas held by US-supported terrorists.

They crossed the Euphrates River to the eastern side on Russian-supplied pontoon bridges. Washington abandoned its base in southeastern Syria, its forces retreating cross-border to Jordan, government and allied forces taking control of the area.

On Friday, Israeli warplanes struck an area southwest of the Damascus international airport, according to Al Mayadeen television, citing Syrian officials - part of the Netanyahu regime’s undeclared war on Syria, multiple attacks launched on its territory.

Will Russia send Israel the same ultimatum issued Washington, warning Netanyahu his aggression no longer will be tolerated?

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

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