Russia to curb attempts to derail Syrian settlement

MOSCOW - Russia said Sunday that it will "severely suppress" any attempt to undermine the process of political settlement in Syria after the adoption of a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution demanding a truce in the war-torn country.

Russia supported UNSC Resolution 2401 unanimously adopted on Saturday, which urged a ceasefire of at least 30 days across Syria and would allow humanitarian access and urgent medical evacuations, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"It is gratifying that the UN Security Council has noted the ongoing work actually carried out by Iran, Russia and Turkey as guarantor countries of the Astana process," the ministry said.

Russia will continue to work with all the Syrian parties in the interests of a proper settlement of the conflict and the eradication of the terrorist threat, the statement read.

Moscow began military operations against terrorist groups in Syria at the request of Damascus in September 2015.

With the support of the Russian army, the Syrian government has retaken most of its territories controlled by the Islamic State group in the past two years.

Given the victory on the ground, the Russian army began a partial withdrawal of its troops in Syria at the end of 2017 under the order of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russia together with Iran and Turkey has been actively brokering reconciliation among conflicting parties in Syria at the Astana peace talks.

The peace talks started in January 2017 in Astana, Kazakhstan for Syria settlement. The next round, which will be established in late February, will discuss the establishment of a fifth new de-escalation zone in Syria and its constitutional reform, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said in an earlier interview with Russian news agency Sputnik.