The Russian Defense Ministry has highlighted the contribution of Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a US strike at Baghdad airport, to combating the Islamic State in Syria.
“Under the direct leadership of Qassem Soleimani, armed resistance against international terrorist groups ISIL and Al-Qaeda was organized in Syria and Iraq long before the so-called international coalition led by the US. His personal contribution to the fight against ISIL on the territory of Syria is undisputed,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement published on Friday.
According to this statement, the killing of Soleimani will lead to an escalation of military-political tensions in the Middle East, negatively affecting the global security system.
“The short-sighted steps by the US, namely the killing of General Soleimani, will lead to a sharp escalation of military-political tensions in the Middle East region. It is fraught with serious negative consequences for the entire global security system,” the statement stresses.
The ministry informed that the Iranian general had been killed on January 3 in the area of the Baghdad airport in a strike by the US Air Force. The statement adds that Soleimani was an experienced military commander who had significant authority and influence in the entire Middle East region.
The Pentagon earlier confirmed that a missile strike near the Baghdad airport killed the head of the Quds Force Qasem Soleimani. The operation was carried out at the direction of US President Donald Trump, the statement said.
According to the Pentagon, the strike was defensive, since it was aimed at protecting US troops in Iraq and other countries. Washington blamed Soleimani for allegedly approving a rally outside the US Embassy in Baghdad earlier this week. The US Congress was not informed about the upcoming missile strike, which killed the Iranian commander, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Source: TASS
3 - 3Shares
Be Civil
This is a Civilized Place for Public Discussion
Please treat this discussion with the same respect you would a public park. We, too, are a shared community resource — a place to share skills, knowledge and interests through ongoing conversation.
These are not hard and fast rules, merely guidelines to aid the human judgment of our community and keep this a clean and well-lighted place for civilized public discourse.
Make it better
Improve the Discussion
Help us make this a great place for discussion by always working to improve the discussion in some way, however small. If you are not sure your post adds to the conversation, think over what you want to say and try again later.
The topics discussed here matter to us, and we want you to act as if they matter to you, too. Be respectful of the topics and the people discussing them, even if you disagree with some of what is being said.
Now the hard part!
Be Agreeable, Even When You Disagree
You may wish to respond to something by disagreeing with it. That’s fine. But remember to criticize ideas, not people. Please avoid:
Instead, provide reasoned counter-arguments that improve the conversation.