No Syrian government attacks on Aleppo, Raqqa seen soon: Ifax cites Russian envoy

Reuters
A street vendor pushes his stall past damaged buildings in the rebel held area of Aleppo's al-Shaar district, Syria, June 27, 2016. Picture taken June 27, 2016. REUTERS/Abdalrhman Ismail

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's air force has helped Syrian government troops to escape encirclement near Aleppo, Interfax news agency on Tuesday quoted Russia's ambassador to Syria as saying, adding he did not expect Syria's army to assault the city in the nearest time. "I am not confident than an offensive on Aleppo will take place in the foreseeable future," Alexander Kinshchak told Interfax. "As for Raqqa, in this case I would also like to refrain from any certain forecasts regarding its liberation," he added, referring to Islamic State's bulwark. "Frankly speaking, I am not certain at all that this may happen in the nearest time." (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin and Denis Pinchuk; Writing by Dmitry Solovyov)