Russia Flies 64 Sorties Against 55 Islamic State Targets in Syria

Russian Aerospace Forces flew 64 sorties on Saturday hitting 55 Islamic State (IS) targets in Syria.

Russia has increased the intensity of combat flights in Syria as the number of ISIL targets has risen, the Russian Defense Ministry's spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov was quoted as saying Sputnik International today.

"The increase in the intensity of the combat missions of our aircraft is related to a significant rise in the number of ground targets identified by means of air and space reconnaissance throughout the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic," Konashenkov said.

The strikes are conducted by Su-34, Su-24M and Su-25SM aircraft, Ignor Konashenkov added. Russian Air Force jets have destroyed 29 ISIL field camps and ammunition depots in Hama province, he said.

Russian strikes also hit two ISIL command centers and 23 strongholds in a day. Islamic State's fortified area in Aleppo province was also destroyed.

Meanwhile the Syrian army killed 125 terrorists including IS and Takfiri terrorists in various parts of Syria buoyed by the success of the Russian air strikes, a statement in the SANA, the official Syrian news agency claimed.

The army also seized shoulder fired surface-to-air missiles and downed a reconnaissance drone which it claimed was given to Takfiri terrorists by Saudi Arabia, the SANA report claimed.