US Trains Syrian Opposition Fighters, Daesh* Militants, Russian Military Intelligence Says

KUBINKA, Russia (Sputnik) - The United States is training fighters of the Syrian opposition and the Daesh* terrorist group to conduct terrorist attacks in Damascus-controlled territory, Igor Kostyukov, the head of the Russian General Staff's Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), said on Tuesday.

"The destructive activity of the US armed forces is also noted in the al-Tanf zone. American servicemen continue to train militants of the Syrian armed opposition (up to 800 people) and IS (about 200 people) in order to use them to carry out terrorist attacks in the southern and central regions of the Arab country," Kostyukov said during the 10th Moscow Conference on International Security.

The United States continues to plunder the Syrian resources, the Russian official said, adding that US companies are engaged in extracting 220,000 barrels of oil daily.

Moreover, the US and Europe prevent the return of Syrian refugees to their country, although Damascus has created all conditions for this, Kostyukov added.

The US is creating a threat of turning Syria into arena of conflict between Israel and Iran, the head of the Russian General Staff also said.

"With the United States being behind it, there is a threat of turning Syria into an arena of Israeli-Iranian confrontation. Since the beginning of the Syrian conflict, the Israeli armed forces have carried out over 180 operations to destroy civilian and military infrastructure on the territory of the [Syrian] republic under the pretext of fighting the Iranian presence. As a result of the strikes, more than 40 civilians were killed and about 70 were injured, the losses among the Syrian military personnel amounted to over 90 people, up to 200 were injured," Kostyukov said during the 10th Moscow Conference on International Security.

*Daesh (IS/ISIS/ISIL) is a terrorist organization banned in Russia.