US-Led Coalition's Actions to Fight Terrorism in Syria Ineffective - Lawmaker

The US-led coalition's actions were not effective in the fight against terrorism in Syria, in contrast to Russia's actions, chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the Syrian People's Council Boutros Farah Marjani said Thursday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The US-led coalition of 68 nations is conducting airstrikes against Daesh in Syria and Iraq. The strikes Iraq are conducted in support of the Iraqi government, but those in Syria are not authorized by the government of President Bashar Assad or the UN Security Council.

"This coalition has in fact given nothing to the cause of the fight against terrorism in our country, so the participation of the Russian aircraft is very productive, very efficient, has led to the improvement of the situation in the country," Marjani said during a Moscow-Damascus-Astana video linkup organized by the Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency.

Russia launched its military operation in Syria on September 30, 2015, at the request of the Syrian government. While targeting terrorist organizations, Russia also acts as a mediator in the intra-Syrian reconciliation process, and provides Syrian civilians with humanitarian aid.