Tehran | Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani has strongly condemned the “brutal” attack carried out by the Islamic State (IS) in eastern Syria that killed more than 50 people. In a statement published on the ministry’s website, Kanani expressed his condolences to the “fraternal and friendly” Syrian government and people over the tragic incident on Saturday, Xinhua news agency reported.
Syrian national TV reported that IS attacked 45 Syrian civilians and seven soldiers who were gathering truffles near the town of al-Sukhnah in the eastern province of Homs on Friday.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman highlighted the need to provide effective international support for the Syrian government and the fight against the remnants of IS and other ‘identified terrorist organizations’.
He said the US government, with its ‘illegal’ military presence in part of Syrian territory, “has a part in the continued insecurity in Syria, along with the continuation of crimes by IS.”
Pointing to the continuing double standard behavior of the US in the fight against terrorism, Kanani said that it is evident in the current policies and approaches of Washington.
On February 12, IS executed 11 of the 75 abducted in eastern Syria.
IS militants have taken the desert region in eastern Syria as a safe zone after suffering heavy losses in 2018, and frequently attack and abduct civilians and military personnel in the region.
