More than 9,000 Islamic State militants active in Syria, Russia saysAugust 25, 2017 - 14:52 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The number of Islamic State terrorist group members in Syria exceeds 9,000, Head of the Russian General Staff’s Main Department, Igor Korobov, said on Thursday, August 24, TASS reports. "This group’s number in Syria, according to our estimates, reaches more than 9,000 militants, who are now concentrated mainly in the central part of the country and the republic’s eastern areas bordering Iraq, mainly along the Euphrates River," Korobov told a roundtable of the Army-2017 military and technical forum. According to him, leaders of the Islamic State group consider the Syrian territory as a foothold for their expansion to the Middle East and other world regions as part of implementing the concept of creating the "greater caliphate." "Amid the operation carried out by Russia and Syria, and also the US-led international anti-terrorist coalition against this group, the IS leaders seek to prevent the destruction on the territories they control of power structures that they call a symbol of the Islamic rebirth," Korobov said. The IS field commanders have been tasked with keeping control over the seized areas, including oil deposits in eastern Syria, and also strategic transportation routes for deploying gunmen and cargos from Iraq to Syria and return, he said. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Government reveals details from Pashinyan’s meeting in border village Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with a group of residents of a border village in Armenia’s northern Tavush province Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. |