Russian Airstrikes Kill 180 ISIS Terrorists Near Deir Ezzour

The Russian Ministry of Defense revealed on Saturday that approximately 180 ISIS militants and two field commanders were killed after Russian military intelligence learned of a looming attack on the besieged city of Deir Ezzour, according to the Russian “The Insider” website.

The concentration of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) forces near the besieged Syrian city was noticed by Russian surveillance drones in early June, the ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The military command decided to conduct preemptive airstrikes to prevent their ensuing attack.

  Two airstrikes delivered on June 6 and 8 by the Russian Air Force in Syria killed two prominent IS field commanders, Belgian Abu Umar al-Beljiki and Egyptian Abu Yasin al-Masri, the statement said.

Eighteen vehicles, an artillery piece and an ammunition stockpile were also destroyed by the strikes.

According to Al Masdar News, pro-government forces are continuing their push towards Deir Ezzour.

On Friday it was revealed that a Russian airstrike near Raqqa killed up to 30 ISIS fields commanders; ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi might have also been killed in the strike.

H.M