Dushanbe, 02.11.2016. /NIAT “Khovar”/. The situation around Aleppo and at the Syrian-Iraqi border in the context of the operation for the liberation of Iraq’s Mosul was in focus of a meeting between Russia’s Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and his visiting Turkish counterpart, Hulusi Akar, TASS reports citing the Russian defense ministry.

“In particular, Gerasimov told his Turkish counterpart about Russia’s efforts to improve the humanitarian situation in Aleppo. Another topic raised at the talks was the necessity to separate Jabhat al-Nusra (a terrorist organization banned in Tajikistan) from the Syrian opposition”, — reads the statement of the ministry.

“The sides reached an understanding to continue contacts between the two countries; General Staffs, including at the expert level”, — the ministry said.

Recall that a ground operation to liberate Mosul from terrorists of Islamic State began on October 17. It involves the Iraqi troops, Kurdish units and the US-led coalition. Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city with a population of 1.3 million, has been controlled by Islamic State (a terrorist organization banned in Tajikistan) for over two years.