Walid Al-Moallem says the eastern banks of the Euphrates River will be the government’s next target, once the situation in rebel-held northwestern Idlib province is resolved, Reuters reported.
A Russia-Turkey deal for Idlib averted an all-out offensive on the province, home to 3 million people.
Al-Moallem said on Monday the US-backed Kurdish forces “must decide what they want,” and abandon “illusions” they’ll get a federal system. He says the government is determined to bring all of Syria under its control.
About 40 per cent of Syria remains out of Damascus’ control now. The eastern part is controlled by Kurdish-led, US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which chased IS militants out of there.
Iraq’s foreign minister said Syria should not be isolated from its Arab neighbours, and lauded Damascus for staying “strong” and united in the face of many adversities.
Ibrahim Al-Jaafari spoke during a visit to the Syrian capital on Monday. He says Syria must find its way back to the Arab fold.
Al-Jaafari said Syria and Iraq have been victorious in their fight against the Islamic State group, which now only controls small pockets in Syria.
Syria’s state-run news agency said hundreds of Syrian refugees have crossed into the country from neighboring Lebanon, the last batch to return home in recent weeks.
SANA says buses carrying the returnees arrived at Syrian border crossings on Monday. It’s the fifth group of refugees to return home from Lebanon. The Lebanese English-language newspaper, Daily Star, said more than 800 were crossing into Syria.
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