DAMASCUS: Russian warplanes carried out air strikes in three Syrian provinces alongside regime aircraft on Wednesday, a Syrian security source told AFP.
Syrian state television subsequently reported Russian strikes in two provinces, saying they had targeted the Islamic State group (IS).
"Russian and Syrian airplanes carried out numerous strikes today against terrorist positions in Hama, Homs and Latakia provinces," the security source
By AFP
September 30, 2015
DAMASCUS: Russian warplanes carried out air strikes in three Syrian provinces alongside regime aircraft on Wednesday, a Syrian security source told AFP.
Syrian state television subsequently reported Russian strikes in two provinces, saying they had targeted the Islamic State group (IS).
"Russian and Syrian airplanes carried out numerous strikes today against terrorist positions in Hama, Homs and Latakia provinces," the security source said.
The source said the strikes hit several areas in central Homs and Hama provinces, as well as the coastal regime stronghold of Latakia province.
"The strikes led to direct results and struck the targets with precision," the source added, without specifying casualty figures in the raids.
"Russian unmanned drones had flown (over these areas) before the strikes."
Earlier, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, reported at least 27 civilians had been killed in air strikes in Homs province.
The group said the strikes hit Rastan, Talbisseh and Zaafarani in Homs, while the security source said the Russian strikes had hit Rastan and Talbisseh.
Later, Syrian state television reported Russian strikes in Homs and Hama provinces.
"Implementing the agreement between Syria and Russia to counter international terrorism and eliminate the Islamic State group, and in cooperation with the (Syrian) air force, Russian planes today carried out several air strikes targeting IS," state television said.
It listed three areas in Hama and four in Homs that it said had been hit in the strikes.
Control of Homs province is mostly divided between Syria´s regime and IS, which holds the famed city of Palmyra and much of the area east of it.
But the areas struck in Homs are mostly controlled by Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front, while those hit in Latakia are held by a coalition known as the Army of Conquest, which includes Al-Nusra.
The areas targeted in Hama include places controlled mostly by militants and moderate rebel groups, as well as those held by Al-Nusra and groups that have pledged allegiance to IS.
