ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the United Nation’s 70th general assembly in New York on Monday that the Kurds in Syria are playing an important role in fighting the Islamic State and that the forces of President Bashar al-Assad should be supported in its war against the jihadist organization.
“We should finally acknowledge that Assad and the Kurds are valiantly fighting the Islamic State and other terrorist organizations in Syria,” said Putin.
“The Syrian government is fighting the Islamic State and it is going to be a big mistake to refuse to cooperate with the Syrian armed forces,” he added.
Putin’s remarks on foreign ISIS fighters seemed aimed at stoking fears in Europe.
He said: “We cannot allow these criminals who have already smelled blood to return back home and continue their evil ways. No one wants this to happen, do they?”
Talks at the UN general assembly are scheduled to continue until October 3.
