- Title: The advance in Badia is strategic change - Syrian minister
- Date: 9th August 2017
- Summary: DAMASCUS, SYRIA (AUGUST 9, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SYRIAN INFORMATION MINISTER RAMEZ TURJMAN, SIGNING HIS BOOK (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RAMEZ TURJMAN, SYRIAN INFORMATION MINISTER, SAYING: "The advance in Badia is just like the advance in all of Syria. There is a plan made by the Syrian army and the work is done following this plan. Of course, it is a very important step and it focuses to linking the geography between Syria and Iraq and the resistance axis. It is a strategic change that was imposed by the blood of our martyrs." TURJMAN DELIVERING A SPEECH (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RAMEZ TURJMAN, SYRIAN INFORMATION MINISTER, SAYING: "Syria will stay unified away, regardless of everything that is being said about dividing Syria, which is nonsense. This talk will not find its way to accomplishment and these dreams will be ended under the feet of the Syrian army." VARIOUS OF DAMASCUS INTERNATIONAL BOOK EXHIBITION
- Embargoed: 23rd August 2017 19:48
- Keywords: Badia Syrian army Sukhna Deir al-Zor Minister military planning
- Location: DAMASCUS, SYRIA
- City: DAMASCUS, SYRIA
- Country: Syria
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA0016TFS6RR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The advance in Badia, eastern Syria, is a strategic change that was imposed on the ground, Syria's Information Minister told Reuters on Wednesday (August 9).
Ramez Turjman, who was signing books during Damascus International book exhibition, added the talk of dividing Syria is "nonsense".
Syrian government and allied forces recaptured the last major town in Homs province from Islamic State, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Saturday (August 5), as the army advances towards militant strongholds in the east of the country.
The town of al-Sukhna lies some 50 km (30 miles) northeast of the ancient city of Palmyra, which was captured by government forces in March. The town is also some 50 km (30 miles) from the administrative frontier of Deir al-Zor province, which is almost entirely under Islamic State control.
Islamic State is losing ground fast in Syria to separate campaigns waged by the Russian-backed Syrian government on the one hand, and to U.S.-backed Kurdish forces and their allies on the other. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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