Russian warplanes attack 49 terrorist targets

Russian bombers and assault planes have attacked 49 terrorist targets, making a total of 33 sorties over the last 24 hours. All the planes have successfully returned to the Khmeimim air base in Latakia, Russia’s Defense Ministry reports.

The airstrikes hit targets in the provinces of Aleppo, Damascus, Hama, Idlib and Latakia, RT reported.

Russian aircraft bombed two command headquarters, three arms depots, two underground bunkers, 32 firing positions in mountainous areas, nine fortified battlefield positions and a workshop producing missile launchers and rockets for Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL).

“A direct hit into the facility caused the explosives stored there to detonate. This led to the complete destruction of the instillation,” Konashenkov said.

Reconnaissance missions on Sunday night established that several large groups of terrorists, made up of hundreds of terrorists each, have left their positions and are heading towards the village of Marj Al-Sultan.

A couple of Sukhoi Su-25SM assault jets delivered two successive high-explosive bomb strikes on a large terrorist training camp revealed by aerial reconnaissance in Latakia province. The attack resulted in a training camp and infrastructure in the vicinity of Duwayr Al-Akrad village being completely destroyed.

Meanwhile, a Sukhoi Su-34 bomber used guided bombs to destroy a vast underground system of tunnels in Hama province.

UAV air reconnaissance conducted over the Idlib province revealed a command post of Al-Nusra Front, Al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria. A Sukhoi Su-24M bomber was dispatched to the area, eliminating the installation and two trucks with air-defense systems mounted on them, Konashenkov said.

In the Hama province, Russian jets destroyed a vast underground terrorist shelter network, the defense ministry spokesman mentioned, adding that following the Russian airstrikes, IS fighters are deserting their positions near the Syrian capital of Damascus en masse.

“Pinpoint airstrikes by the Russian operational air force in Damascus province have resulted in fundamental changes of the operative situation in the region. The groups of Islamic State terrorists are suffering a dire shortage of munitions and are abandoning their positions en masse,” Konashenkov said.

M.T