LATAKIA /Syria/, December 16. /TASS/. Russian aircraft in Syria have destroyed more than 320 militants and more than 30 armored vehicles and cars of terrorists over the past 24 hours, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov told reporters on Wednesday.
"Over the past 24 hours alone more than 320 militants and 34 armored vehicles and cars of terrorists have been destroyed, including two tanks, one infantry combat vehicle and 15 Jeeps equipped with the Degtyaryov-Shpagin large-caliber machine guns," he said.
"Terrorists continue to sustain losses in manpower and equipment," Konashenkov added.
Konashenkov said earlier on Wednesday that Russian aircraft had made nearly 60 sorties hitting more than 200 targets.
Russia has been carrying out strikes against terrorists in Syria since September 30 at the request of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The international US-led coalition began its operation against militants in Syria and Iraq in 2014.
Russia’s planes in Syria hit 212 terrorist targets over past day
According to Konashenkov, Russia’s aircraft in Syria have carried out 59 sorties over the past 24 hours and hit 212 terrorist targets in seven provinces - Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Hasekah and Raqqah.
"Over the past day the planes of Russia’s air group in the Syrian Arab Republic have carried out 59 sorties to hit 212 targets in Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Hasakah and Raqqah provinces," Konashenkov told the media in Latakia.
Russian aircraft have destroyed a camouflaged based of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group in Syria’s Homs province, he said.
"In the vicinity of the Al-Qaratein settlement in Homs province the Sukhoi Su-24M of bomber destroyed a camouflaged IS terrorist base. The militants’ underground bunker housed a command post, an ammunition depot and barracks," General Konashenkov reported.
In addition, he said, another Su-24 aircraft bombed in the Aleppo province a group of militants with equipment. "The objective monitoring data confirmed the destruction of at least 10 militants and three vehicles with mounted heavy machine guns," Konashenkov said.
Russian Su-25 strike fighter destroys IS base in Syrian Idlib province
Konashenkov also noted Russia’s Sukhoi Su-25 attack plane has destroyed a base of the Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria’s Idlib province, on the information provided by the opposition.
According to him, the facility was located in the area of Maaret En Numan - the building housed ammunition, as well as a command post.
"We got information about the location of this facility from the representatives of the Syrian opposition ... After checking this information through the Information Centre in Baghdad and additional reconnaissance of the militant base’s positioning data by a drone, we destroyed this facility by a Su-25 strike," Konashenkov said.
Russia’s air group has operated in Syria at the request of President Bashar Assad since September 30. On Tuesday, the chief of the main operations directorate of Russia’s General Staff, Sergey Rudskoy, said that since the anti-terrorist operation in Syria began Russian pilots have flown more than 4,200 sorties including 150 made by strategic aircraft.