A number of intelligence officers of the French army were killed in a bomb blast at their headquarters in the city of Raqqa amid heightened tensions in the US-controlled areas. Raqqa
The Arabic-language service of the Russian Sputnik news agency reported that a bomb-laden motorcycle was blown off in the intelligence center of the French troops in Sugar Factory region in Raqqa-Hasaka road in Northern part of Raqqa.
It pointed to the magnitude of the explosion which forced the US-led troops to immediately go on alert and lay siege on the region.
Several French intelligence officers were also wounded in the explosion.
Local media also reported that another bomb also exploded in the headquarters of security forces of the Syrian Democratic Forces in the Western part of Raqqa city which resulted in the death and injury of several SDF security forces.
Deir Ezzur
The Washington-backed militants are trying to find and seize millions of dollars and at least 40 tons of gold left behind by the ISIL terrorist group, the London-based Syrian Observatory of Human Rights (SOHR) said.
The SOHR reported that the ISIL terrorists had stolen about 40 tons of gold and millions of dollars from the population once under their control in Iraq and Syria, which was later transferred to Eastern Euphrates in Eastern Deir Ezzur.
"The US-led coalition forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) deliberately do not target the areas under the control of the ISIL terrorists and commanders in Eastern Euphrates in Deir Ezzur as they are trying to locate this treasure by forcing the ISIL militants to speak about its location after surrendering," it quoted informed sources as saying.
They noted that part of the cash dollars and gold have been transferred from Turkey to the areas under the ISIL control by Turkish brokers and intelligence service who have close ties with the ISIL.
Meantime, an SDF Commander, Adnan Afrin, said that the ISIL is now under the siege of the SDF in an area no larger than one square kilometers in Eastern Euphrates.
Also in the past 24 hours, at least 70 people, including women and children, were killed and wounded in the US-led coalition air raids on a civilian camp in Southeastern Deir Ezzur.
The US-led coalition fighter jets pounded a camp of Syrian civilians who had fled from the ISIL's captivity in the town of Baghouz in Southeastern Deir Ezzur.
The Arabic-language media said that a sum of 70 Syrians have been killed or wounded in the US-led airstrikes, adding that the toll is expected to rise due to deteriorating conditions of the injured and difficulties in rendering aid to them.
Hama, Idlib
The Syrian Army heavily pounded the military positions of Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) and their allied terrorists in Northern Ham and Southern Hama.
The Damascus Army's artillery and missile units pounded the terrorists' positions in Kafar Nabudeh town, Tal Havash, areas surrounding Qala al-Maziq and Kharbeh al-Naqous in Northwestern Hama, inflicting heavy losses and casualties on them.
The Syrian Army attacks came in response to Tahrir al-Sham terrorists' attacks on their positions.
In Southeastern Idlib, the Syrian Army's artillery and missile units hit the terrorists' positions in al-Katibeh al-Mahjoureh, al-Khovein, Khan Sheikhoun, Jarjnaz, Tal Khazneh, destroying several positions and gatherings of terrorists as well as killing a large number of the terrorists.
Meantime, the Syrian Army freed 10 civilians who had been abducted by the terrorists in Dir Qaq town in al-Bab region of Eastern Idlib.
Also on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that some Western countries wish to preserve an enclave that is a terrorist hotbed in Syria’s Idlib province.
“There’s been news that some Western countries wish to do precisely that. They want this enclave where Jabhat al-Nusra controls more than 90% of the territory to become a participant in the future political process,” Lavrov said at a news conference.
“It is clear that there can be no talks with terrorists. Our Western counterparts have repeatedly demonstrated double standards, so I cannot rule out that the information I’ve mentioned is well-founded,” he added.
The top Russian diplomat recalled the gist of the agreements between the Russian and Turkish presidents on the de-escalation zone in Idlib.
“The agreement requires separating the opposition interested in a normal dialogue with the government of Syria from the terrorists, thus isolating them and continuing their elimination. No agreements envisage the indefinite preservation of this hotbed of terrorism on Syrian soil,” Lavrov said.
“On February 14, ahead of the trilateral Russia-Iran-Turkey summit in Sochi there will be bilateral meetings with President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan and President [Hassan] Rouhani,” the top diplomat noted.
“Naturally, at the meeting with Erdogan, the question about the Idlib zone will be one of the main ones. Everybody understands that Jabhat al-Nusra should by no means be allowed to gain a firmer foothold in that zone, where it has in fact already tripled the area under its control. Instead of separating the illegal armed groups from Jabhat al-Nusra, we are seeing the opposite process,” Lavrov added.
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