MOSCOW (Reuters) - A delegation of Russian officials discussed with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Friday the need to de-escalate the situation in northeast Syria, Russia’s foreign ministry said on Saturday.

“The discussion focused on the current situation ‘on the ground’ in Syria in the light of rising tensions in the north-east of the country,” the ministry said in a statement. “The need to take measures to de-escalate the situation and ensure security in these areas was noted.”