Russia says the major US-led Western powers continue their hostile practices towards Syria by backing anti-Damascus militants and Takfiri terrorist groups across the Arab country.

The support by the Western regimes for terrorist groups operating across Syria was no secret anymore and has fully been exposed, she said.

“Attempts to target the Syrian state, its sovereignty and independence have been ongoing for years by regimes hostile to international peace and security in general, and they have chosen Syria and are still clinging to it as a target for their ongoing and continuous aggression,” Zakharova was quoted as saying.

The HTS and allied militants have long been targeted by the Syrian government and Russian forces. The HTS, formerly known as the Nusra Front, is considered a terrorist organization by Syria, Russia, and several other countries.

Elsewhere in her remarks, she further said the illegal military presence of US forces in Syria has been an excuse to back criminal militants and steal precious resources of the Arab nation.

Since 2014, the US has deployed forces and military equipment in Syria without any authorization from Damascus or a UN mandate under the pretext of fighting the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group. The American forces have thus far sustained their illegal presence on the Syrian soil although Damascus and its allies defeated Daesh in late 2019.

The US military claims its presence in Syria is aimed at preventing the oilfields in the area from falling into the hands of Daesh. Damascus, however, maintains the deployment is meant to plunder the country’s natural resources. US President-elect Donald Trump of the United States earlier admitted on several occasions that American forces were in the Arab country for its oil wealth.