Syrian President Bashar Assad and Akbar held a meeting in Damascus earlier in the day. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem and high-ranking Syrian officials were also present at the meeting. The sides discussed the situation in Syria and the threats of terrorism in the world, the media outlet added. The Indian official also stressed the importance of cooperation with Syria in the fight against terrorism.
Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to Assad fighting against a number of opposition factions and extremist groups. On February 27, a US-Russia brokered ceasefire came into force across Syria. Terrorist groups such as Islamic State (IS, also known as Daesh), as well as Jabhat Fatah al Sham (also known as Jabhat al-Nusra, or Nusra Front) are not part of the deal. Both groups are banned in Russia and a range of other countries.
