Russia says situation in Syria's Idlib cannot be tolerated indefinitely

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday the situation in the opposition-held Syrian province of Idlib could not be tolerated indefinitely, RIA news agency reported.

Speaking to university students in Moscow, Lavrov said the Syrian government, Russia's ally, had every right to wipe out the opposition in northern Idlib, Interfax news agency reported.

In May, Idlib was designated a “de-escalation zone” -- in which acts of aggression are expressly forbidden -- as part of the ongoing Astana process.

Nevertheless, for the past two months, Idlib has remained the target of fierce air bombardments by Russia and Assad regime forces.