MOSCOW, November 18. /TASS/. Six Tupolev Tu-22M3 long-range bombers of the Russian Aerospace Force hit targets of the Islamic State terrorist group (banned in Russia) near the Syrian city of Abu Kamal on Saturday, Russia’s Defense Ministry said.

"On November 18, 2017 six Tu-22M3 long-range bombers delivered air strikes at facilities of the ISIS terrorist group (former name of Islamic State - TASS) near the city of Abu Kamal (Deir ez-Zor province)," the ministry said, noting the bombers had destroyed military personnel, hardware and weapons of the militants.

"Special monitoring equipment confirmed that all of the designated targets were hit," the Defense Ministry said.

Over Syria, the Tu-22M3 bombers were escorted by Sukhoi Su-30SM fighters from the Khmeimim airbase. Upon completion of their mission, all Russian planes returned to base.

It is not the first time Russian long-range bombers hit Islamic State targets in recent days. Earlier, Russia’s air group and the permanent naval group in the Mediterranean repeatedly furnished support for Syrian government troops in their offensive against terrorist groups in Deir ez-Zor Province.

On October 31, the Russian Defense Ministry said the submarine The Veliki Novgorod attacked Islamic State facilities with Kalibr cruise missiles from the Mediterranean. On November 1 and 2, six Tupolev-22M3 bombers raided terrorists near Abu Kamal. On November 3, a group of another Tupolev-22M3 planes and the submarine The Kolpino dealt a massive missile and bomb strike against Islamic State infrastructures near Abu Kamal. And on November 15 and 17, six Tupolev-22M3 bombers carried out massive air raids against Islamic State strongholds, manpower and armored vehicles near Abu Kamal.