US President-elect Donald Trump says Russia is unable to stop Syrian opposition forces from gaining control of key territory. He claims this is because Russia is too busy in Ukraine.
Syrian opposition fighters have been making big gains lately. They are led by a group called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). From their base in Idlib, they have captured several important cities, including Aleppo and Hama. They are now close to the city of Damascus.
Trump says Russia’s involvement in Ukraine has weakened its ability to protect Syrian government-controlled territory. This is not the first time Trump has spoken about the situation in Syria.