News / Politics

Top Iranian commander calls for 'geninune campaign' against Daesh

Saturday, 21 November 2015 7:04 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 22 November 2015 4:01 AM ]

Iranian Armed Forces' Chief of Staff Major General Hassan Firouzabadi

A top Iranian military commander has hailed Russia’s "genuine" campaign against Daesh Takfiri terrorists operating in Syria, calling on world powers to follow Moscow’s suit in fighting the terror group.

Other powers should learn from the "courageous and genuine" presence of Russia in Syria and take part in the campaign against Daesh with sincerity, Iranian Armed Forces' Chief of Staff Major General Hassan Firouzabadi said Saturday.

Russia, which has been one of the main supporters of Syria since the foreign-backed militancy erupted in the Arab country in March 2011, began its military campaign against Daesh terrorists and other militants fighting against the Syrian government on September 30, upon a request from the Damascus government.

Moscow says its aerial campaign is aimed at helping the Arab country’s armed forces in their battle against Takfiri terror groups.

The US has also been carrying out its own airstrikes in Syria, allegedly pounding Daesh positions inside the country.

A still image taken from video footage, released by Russia's Defense Ministry on November 19, 2015, shows a Russian military jet taking off at Hmeimim airbase in Syria. (Photo by Reuters)

The Iranian commander further blamed the United States and certain European countries’ support for turning the Daesh militant group into a “Takfiri terrorist current” which now poses threat to the entire world.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Firouzabadi dismissed as a “strategic paradox” the US policy to claim fighting Daesh terrorists while opposing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is battling against the Takfiri group.

“Declaring war against Daesh while lashing out at a president who is fighting Daesh is not acceptable,” he said, adding that Washington’s stance will further embolden the Takfiris in their crimes.

The foreign-sponsored conflict in Syria has thus far claimed the lives of more than 250,000 people and left over one million injured, according to the United Nations.

The Syrian army’s fight against terrorists has taken a new turn after Russia started launching separate airstrikes against Takfiri terrorists in the Arab country. The US airstrikes are, however, believed to be proved ineffective in dislodging terrorists from their positions.

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