Terrorism in Syria and Iraq not defeated because groups supplied from outside: Russian FM

The battle against the remaining terrorists in Syria and Iraq is still ongoing despite past claims by world leaders.

Speaking at press conference on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the fight against terrorists is still ongoing because the latter is receiving support from outside entities.

“Terrorism in both Syria and Iraq is not completely defeated because these groups supplied from outside,” he told reporters.

This remark from Lavrov comes just hours after the Russian FSB said they have information about a possible merger between Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh).

In Syria, the Al-Qaeda linked groups and Daesh have been fighting for several years, especially inside the Idlib Governorate.

Last year, Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham and Daesh clashed for several weeks inside the southern countryside of Idlib; this resulted in the subsequent defeat of the latter.

Daesh is now relying on their sleeper cells in Idlib to wreck havoc on the rebel factions.

Foreign fighters continue to pour into Syria: Pentagon

Foreign fighters are still pouring into Syria from neighboring countries, despite the Islamic State’s (ISIS) defeat in several parts of the country.

According to the Pentagon’s Joint Chiefs Chairman Joe Dunford, foreign fighters loyal to the Islamic State terror organization are still entering Syria at a rate of approximately 100 a month.

“It’s the flow of foreign fighters, the ability to move resources, and the ideology that allows these groups to operate,” Dunford said, opening a conference on countering violent extremism, as quoted by the AFP News Agency.

While Dunford did not specify which border these Islamic State militants are using to enter Syria, it is very likely that they crossing into the Idlib Governorate from Turkey’s Hatay Province.

Over the last two months, the Islamic State has managed to increase the size of their forces in Idlib, prompting the rebels in the province to carry out several operations to eliminate the terrorist group’s sleeper cells.

18+ In Pics: HTS Jihadists clash with ISIS militants in Idlib province

Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, commonly referred to as Tahrir al-Sham or HTS Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria raid ISIS sleeper cell Head-Quarter in Idlib province. 

Where HTS said that their elite fighters managed to bust out an ISIS hideout in farms area surrounding Idlib city, they managed to arrest 2 ISIS militants and kill 3 others.

HTS added that they also seized large amount of IEDs and explosive devices ISIS were using to assassinate HTS fighters across north Syria. 

Recently, ISIS starts targeting HTS fighters across entire Idlib province where they killed tens of other rival jihadists by planting IEDs or by opening fire at them.

HTS did more than 5 security operations targeting ISIS sleeper cells with-out being able to stop the assassination operations .

BREAKING: Jihadists in Syria's Idlib vow to continue fight as deadline looms

Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham known as HTS published a statement today officially rejecting Idlib agreement that was signed between Russia and Turkey.

In the statement which was published across the social media, HTS stated that they will not hand in any of their heavy weapons adding that their weapons is a red-line for them and there is no negotiation regarding their red-line.

Idlib agreement was signed by Russia and Turkey at a meeting in Sochi on Sept 17

Russia and Turkey agreed to a diplomatic solution for Syria’s northern Idlib province at a meeting in Sochi on Sept. 17.

The deal sets up a demilitarized zone running 15-20 kilometers (9-13 miles) deep into rebel territory that must be evacuated of all heavy weapons and all jihadist groups by Monday, Oct. 15.

The deadline for Jihadists to retreat from the demilitarized zone ends by tomorrow.

Breaking: ISIS seizes Chemical weapons in Idlib province - Russian MoD

Toxic chemicals have been seized by the Islamic State terrorist group due to irresponsible steps of the Western countries’ representatives, Lieutenant General Vladimir Savchenko, the chief of the Russian center for reconciliation of conflicting sides in Syria, said on Wednesday.

"In the evening of October 9, a group of ISIS sleeper cell fighters attacked the headquarters of the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham terrorist organization (former Jabhat al-Nusra located near the village of al-Lataminah," he said. 

"In the fight, four militants and two members of the White Helmets organization were killed. 

Two cylinders containing chlorine were taken out of the headquarters. The seized cylinders were transported to the south of Aleppo province and handed over to terrorists of the Hurras al-Din terrorist group associated with the Islamic State."

"The Western countries, while planning provocations against Syrian government forces and employing their controlled bandit groups, do not take into account the complicated situation in the Idlib de-escalation zone. As a result of those irresponsible steps, poisonous chemicals ended up in the hands of Islamic State terrorists whose actions are hard to predict," the reconciliation center’s head added.