US-led strikes should target Fateh al-Sham terrorists: Russia

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has criticized the US-led coalition’s refusal to conduct air raids in Syria on positions held by the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham terrorist group, formerly known as al-Nusra Front, calling on Washington to reverse its course.

On Tuesday, Lavrov called on the coalition forces to consider the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham as a terror outfit, saying, "I have a very demanding task now - not to let this list of terrorist organizations be reduced.”

"I have no reason not to trust US Secretary of State John Kerry, but what we see on the ground (in Syria) is that the coalition is very reluctant to strike the positions of the Nusra Front,” he added.

Since September 2014, the US, along with some of its allies, has been carrying out aerial assaults against what are said to be the Daesh Takfiri terrorists in Syria without any authorization from Damascus or a UN mandate. 

Elsewhere in his remarks, Lavrov said Moscow wants a recent Russia-US agreement on cessation of hostilities in Syria to be published in full, adding that Moscow "has nothing to hide" and seeks the United Nations Security Council’s formal approval of the Syria truce deal as well.

The US-Russia brokered ceasefire went into effect on Monday at sunset. The deal's initial aims include allowing humanitarian access and joint Moscow-Washington attacks against militant groups, which are not covered by the agreement, including Daesh and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham.

EA