Russia claims Daesh completely destroyed in Syria

By Emre Gurkan Abay

MOSCOW

Russia’s Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov claimed on Wednesday Daesh terrorists have been eliminated from Syria.

Speaking at an annual briefing for foreign defense attaches in Moscow, Gerasimov said: "All Daesh units in Syria have been destroyed, and the territory has been liberated."

He stated that there was “no territories controlled by Daesh in Syria today”, following the liberation of last in Deir ez-Zour.

Gerasimov also noted that Russia was ready to hold dialogue and join the U.S.-led operation against Daesh in Iraq.

Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.

Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in the fighting and more than 10 million displaced, according to the UN.