News / Russia

50 Nusra Front terrorists cross into Syria via Turkey: Russia

Tuesday, 29 March 2016 9:54 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 29 March 2016 9:52 AM ]

The file photo shows Takfiri militants in Syria.

Russia says 50 militants belonging to al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch, al-Nusra Front, have crossed Turkey’s border into Syria.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement, citing local witnesses, on Monday that the militants and three vehicles loaded with ammunition crossed “from the territory of Turkey” into Syria.

They later arrived in the city of Anadan in the northern province of Aleppo to help their fellow militants raid Kurdish positions in the Sheikh Maqsood neighborhood, it said.

They launched the offensive against Kurdish fighters later in the day and shelled the region with 30 mortar shells and 14 rockets, but had to retreat to their previously held positions after about two hours. Two civilians were killed and six others injured in the attack.

Last month, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Ankara has been helping militants illegally enter Syria and join the terrorist groups that are fighting against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

In February, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said Turkey had assisted Daesh to recruit fellow Takfiris from the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Turkey also stands accused of buying oil from Daesh. Russia has released satellite images, apparently showing long lines of trucks carrying oil from Daesh-controlled areas in northeastern Syria into Turkey.

Bouthaina Shaaban, a political and media adviser to President Assad, said on Monday Turkey has been the main gate for terrorists to enter Syria.

"Since the beginning of war against Syria we understood that this war was the work of Turkey, this is Turkish aggression against Syria," she said during an exclusive interview with Russia's RT television channel from Damascus.

"If we did not have borders with Turkey exceeding on the extent of 860 kilometers then all these terrorists coming from all corners of the world couldn't get to Syria."

She stated that “the convoys of tankers with oil were moving from the east to Syria through Iraq and Kurdistan to Turkey and "perhaps, then from Turkey to Europe.”

Shaaban said, "The Western world will not stop and will not realize that their position in regard to this government (in Turkey) has to be firm, as in regard to ISIS (Daesh) and Wahhabism.”

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