Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
Moscow, SANA – Russian Presidential Envoy for Astana talks Alexander Lavrentyev affirmed on Friday that the planned de-escalation zones in Syria will be closed to the US-led coalition’s aviation.
He stressed that the US-led coalition’s “actions in the de-escalation zones, starting from now those zones are closed for their flights.” He added that the flight ban was not part of the memorandum establishing the safe zones, but assured the coalition would not fly over them.
“As guarantors we will be tracking all actions in that direction,” he said. “Absolutely no flights, especially by the international coalition, are allowed. With or without prior notification. The issue is closed.”
He noted that the US-led coalition would continue airstrikes on the ISIS positions near Raqqa and a number of towns near the Euphrates River, Deir Ezzor city and the Iraqi territories.
“Speaking about the events in Khan Sheikhoun, Russia has irrefutable evidence that this is a pure provocation by structures, which are not interested in achieving peace on Syrian soil,” Lavrentyev noted.
Shaza/H. Said
