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Russian bombers first time use Iranian air base for strikes in Syria

The bombers dealt the strike on facilities of the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist groups in Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor and Idlib provinces from the Hamadan air base in Iran

Sukhoi Su-34 bomber in Syria (archive) Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Sukhoi Su-34 bomber in Syria (archive)

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

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Iran lets Russia use its infrastructure to fight terrorists in Syria

MOSCOW, August 16. /TASS/. Russia’s long-range bombers Tu-22M3 and frontline bombers Su-34 have destroyed five large armament depots, three command posts and militants’ training camps in Syria used by terrorists for operations in Aleppo, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday.

"The air strike has destroyed five large depots with armament, ammunition, fuel and lubricants, militants’ training camps in the areas of the communities of Serakab, Al-Bab, Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor, and also a large number of militants. The arms and ammunition depots, the training camps and the command posts destroyed by the air strike were used to provide supplies for the militants operating in the area of Aleppo," the defense ministry said.

The bombers dealt the strike from the Hamadan air base in Iran.

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"Long-range bombers Tupolev-22M3 and frontline bombers Sukhoi-34 took off from the Hamadan air base in Iran carrying the full bomb load to deal a massive air strike against facilities of the terrorist groups Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra in Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor and Idlib provinces," the ministry said.

Russia’s Sukhoi-30SM and Sukhoi-35 from the Hmeymim base in Syria provided protection. All planes coped with their tasks and returned to base.

This is the first time Russian planes have used an Iranian airdrome for the operation in Syria. On all previous occasions Russia’s long-range bombers operated from airdromes in Russia, and front-line bombers, from Hmeymim in Syria.

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