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Strikes kill 30 terrorists in Syria’s Idlib: Russia

Thursday, 17 November 2016 1:54 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 17 November 2016 2:05 PM ]

In this photo from the footage taken from the Russian Defense Ministry’s official web site on November 15, 2016, a Russian Su-33 fighter jet stands ready for takeoff on the flight deck of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier in the eastern Mediterranean. (Via AP)

Russia says its anti-terror airstrikes this week in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib have killed at least 30 Takfiri terrorists, among them three prominent militant commanders.

In a statement released on Thursday, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Major General Igor Konashenkov, said that those slain were members of the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham terrorist group, formerly known as al-Nusra Front.

“According to information from different intelligence sources, at least 30 terrorists were killed,” he said, adding that the strikes were conducted by Sukhoi Su-33 combat jets, which took off from the Admiral Kuznetsov flagship aircraft carrier.

Admiral Kuznetsov was deployed from the Arctic to the eastern Mediterranean last month, joining around 10 other Russian vessels already off the Syrian coast. The aircraft carrier took part in combat operations in Syria for the first time earlier this week.

Konashenkov said Muhammad Helala, Abu Jaber Harmuja and Abul Baha al-Asfari were three “well-known” militant commanders killed in the Russian strikes,

He added that Harmuja was “preparing and carrying out a new offensive in Aleppo.”

On Tuesday, Russia announced new air raids against foreign-backed terrorists in the Syrian provinces of Idlib and Homs.

Since March 2011, Syria has been hit by deadly militancy it blames on some Western states and their regional allies.

Russia has been conducting an aerial campaign against Daesh and other terrorist groups in the Middle Eastern country at the Damascus government’s request since last September.

Separately on Thursday, at least 25 people lost their lives and 20 others were injured in a car bomb attack on an arms depot belonging to the Nureddin al-Zenki terror group in A’zaz on the northern outskirts of Aleppo, al-Masdar News website reported.

The picture shows the victims of an attack on a arms depot belonging to the Nureddin al-Zenki militant group in A'zaz, near Aleppo, November 17, 2016. (Photo by al-Masdar News)

Some sources said that the assault was carried out by the Jabhat al-Shamiya terrorist group that has recently engaged in clashes with Nureddin al-Zenki.

However, AFP quoted an unidentified member of the Takfiri group as saying that the bombing “bore the hallmarks” of the Daesh terrorist group.

A’zaz is located near the Turkish border and is controlled by different militant groups, which frequently engage in fierce infighting.

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