Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu meets with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, Syria on March 23, 2020. (Russian Defense Ministry photo)
Shoigu and Assad discussed the need to ensure a stable cessation of hostilities in the Idlib de-escalation zone, stabilize other parts of Syria and jointly combat terrorism.
MOSCOW, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has paid a working trip to Syria, Russia's Defense Ministry said Monday.
Shoigu was received in Damascus by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the ministry said in a statement.
Shoigu and Assad discussed the need to ensure a stable cessation of hostilities in the Idlib de-escalation zone, stabilize other parts of Syria and jointly combat terrorism, the statement said.
They also discussed Russian humanitarian aid to Syria and other assistance to help restore the Syrian economy, it added.
In a separate statement, the ministry said on Monday that a second joint Russian-Turkish patrol took place on the strategic M4 highway, which connects Aleppo in northern Syria with Latakia in the northwest.
The Turkish side said that in the near future radical extremist groups that have impeded the work of the joint patrols would be neutralized.
The first joint patrol along the highway was carried out on March 15.
Earlier this month, Russia and Turkey agreed to create a safety corridor six km to the north and six km to the south of the strategic M4 highway. ■
