Russia "resolved" to support Syrian army in anti-terror war in Idlib

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem said on Friday that Russia is "resolved" to support the Syrian army in its counter-terrorism efforts during the "final quarter of an hour" of the more than seven-year-long Syrian crisis, state news agency SANA reported.

"Russian friends are resolved to support the efforts of our armed forces to counter terrorism in Syria," Muallem said after his talks with Russians officials in Russia's capital Moscow.

In a jab at the Western countries, Muallem said the West under the leadership of the United States is trying to hinder such efforts and protect the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, in order to prolong the crisis and control the area east of Euphrates.

His remarks came as the Syrian army is preparing to launch a wide-scale offensive in the northwestern province of Idlib, the last major rebel stronghold in Syria.

The United States and its Western allies have threatened to resort to force if the Syria army uses chemical weapons in the Idlib attack.

In April, the United States, along with France and Britain, launched a missile attack on Syrian military positions, as well as facilities they claimed to be involved in the manufacturing of chemical weapons, under the pretext of the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Syrian army.

In his Friday remarks to SANA, Muallem accused Washingtong of "illegitimate" action "outside the framework of the UN Security Council."

"As we have done before, we would respond with all force to its possible aggression," he vowed.

The minister also repeated the Russian warnings to the West that they are "playing with fire," according to SANA.

Idlib has emerged as the major destination and stronghold for the Syrian rebels fleeing other parts of the country after deals or surrender.

In recent months, the Syrian army captured several towns in the southern countryside of Idlib, with hundreds of people starting to return to those areas.

Idlib is now in a state of severe lawlessness characterized by assassinations, explosions and infighting.

The major rebel group in Idlib is the Levent Liberation Committee, otherwise known as the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.

The group has vowed not to surrender, saying it will fight against any attack from the Syrian army.

Idlib is of strategic significance as it shares a border area with Turkey to the north, and neighbors the coastal province of Latakia, hometown of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Notably, the namesake capital city of Idlib lies close to the international road linking the capital Damascus with the northern province of Aleppo.

Idlib is home to around 2.5 million people, including those evacuated after the surrender of rebels in other Syrian areas.

In fact, not all rebels in Idlib are ready to fight as many of them hope to get reconciled with the government, but the Nusra Front and its allies reject the offer.

The Syrian army has been sending reinforcements to the frontline in a triangle of rebel-held areas between the provinces of Idlib, Hama and Latakia.

A day earlier, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Syrian forces have so far brought tens of thousands of soldiers and over 2,000 vehicles to the surroundings of Idlib, the northern countryside of Hama, and the Latakia mountains.

According to the London-based watchdog, Turkey, which is in talks with Russia and Iran over the issue of Idlib, is trying to convince the ultra-radical groups in the province to dissolve themselves as the major battle looms.