Russian air strike hits 55 IS targets in Syria

  • 11/10/2015
 Putin has taken a risk by launching air strikes against Islamists in Syria because they could incite militants to seek revenge by attacking targets inside Russia (Reuters)
Putin has taken a risk by launching air strikes against Islamists in Syria because they could incite militants to seek revenge by attacking targets inside Russia (Reuters)

Russian air strikes hit 55 Islamic State group targets in Syria in the past 24 hours, the defence ministry says, as Moscow ramps up its military campaign in the war-torn country.

"In 64 sorties in the past 24 hours, the Russian air force hit 55 ISIS targets in Syria," the defence ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The Russian military said the latest strikes - conducted in the provinces of Damascus, Aleppo, Hama, Raqa and Idlib - destroyed 29 training camps for "terrorists", 23 defensive positions, two command centres and an ammunition depot.

"In the initial stage of our operation, our aircraft destroyed the principal and largest logistical hubs of the ISIS terrorist group," the statement said.

"This has led to a significant reduction in the fighting potential of armed groups, and a reduction in their mobility and their capacity to launch offensives."

Russia claimed that fighters are running out of arms, ammunition and fuel, leading them to become demoralised and leave their combat positions for the country's east and northeast.

Defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Saturday that Russia would speak to the Pentagon about avoiding accidents in Syrian airspace, as a US-led coalition conducts a separate bombing campaign in the country.

AFP