“Unfortunately, huge territories are mined. In addition to that, I cannot help but mention that the numbers of suicide attackers increase many-fold as the militant-controlled territories decrease,” Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has stated.
According to Shoigu, the terrorist carry out their attacks both individually and in vehicles on the frontline, with the number of such incidents exceeding 20 some days.
“Groups were created, the units that were created are acting efficiently,” he added.
Commenting on the liberation of the last Daesh stronghold in Syria, the town of Abu Kamal, Shoigu stated, "The work is now underway to demine Deir ez-Zor, Mayadin. Today the work to demine and clear Abu Kamal began, this is the last large stronghold and center where quite a large group of terrorists was located. Some of them were destroyed, some crossed Euphrates and are moving north."
READ MORE: Gov't Forces Destroy Last Daesh Stronghold in Syria, Army Command Confirms
He added that the Syrian army’s offensive in the eastern bank of river Euphrates is developing successfully.
“I hope for further progress of the Syrian troops down Euphrates to the north and the completion of encirclement of the group on Euphrates’ western bank.”
At the same time, the commander of the Russian group of forces in Syria, Col. Gen. Sergei Surovikin has revealed that main efforts of Russian group of forces in Syria are focused on the complete defeat of Daesh.
Syrian Army Operation in Euphrates
According to the Russian Defense Ministry's data, over 90 percent of the Syrian territory has already been liberated from terrorists with the assistance of Moscow that had launched the operation in the Arab Republic at the request of President Bashar Assad in September 2015 and is due to "be completed soon."
READ MORE: Russia's Anti-Terrorist Operation in Syria Close to its End — Defense Minister
