Foreign states behind Syria terror acts: Russian deputy FM
Russia says powerful foreign military and financial backing is emboldening the Syrian opposition to continue terrorist activities. - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov accused terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda, of being behind the deadly wave of bombings in Syria, Reuters reported. Terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda, are behind the recent terror strikes in Syria… There is completely proved evidence that armed groups [in Syria] include mercenaries from Libya and other Arab countries,” he said. Gatilov painted a bleak picture of Syria's future, saying, “This gives little hope for an early start of talks,” adding that the standoff will be hard to break unless Western and Arab nations take a harder line with opposition groups. He went on to say that the continued foreign assistance to Syrian armed groups compels Moscow to stand by its traditional ally in its time of trouble. Earlier in the day, Russia's UN ambassador warned Kosovo against allowing Syrian militants to be trained on its territory. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin censured Kosovo over what he called the “disturbing information” that Kosovo has been “establishing contacts with the Syrian opposition to train insurgents.”