Russia claims Syria’s terrorists are relocating to Africa to create chaos

Some militant groups, after their defeat in Syria and Iraq, have been relocating to Africa, where they create large enclaves of the ISIL terrorist group, al-Qaeda and Boko Haram, Alexander Venediktov, the Russian Security Council secretary’s assistant, said.

“Let’s take the problem of terrorism, which today is acute for African countries. After the defeat in Syria and Iraq, some militants have been on their way to the Sahel and further southward. As a result, bandit enclaves under the banners of ISIL [Daesh], al-Qaeda and Boko Haram, which has pledged allegiance to the ISIL militants, are emerging on the vast territories,” Venediktov said.

Russia launched a military operation against terrorist groups in Syria in September 2015 at the request of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. On December 11, 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the withdrawal of a significant portion of Russian troops from the country, a week after his announcement that the ISIL terrorist group was defeated in Syria.

However, Russian servicemen have remained at Russia’s naval facility in the city of Tartus and Humeimim airbase in order to continue helping maintain security in the country.

In 2016, the Daesh declared its presence in Libya. UN experts have estimated there were between 2,000 and 3,000 fighters in the country.

Libya has been gripped by conflict since 2011, when the country’s longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and killed.

Source: Farsnews