LATAKIA, October 8. /TASS/. Russia’s airstrikes in Syria have disrupted the combat capabilities of the Islamic State (IS) gunmen and other groups, Syria’s Chief of General Staff Ali Abdullah Ayyoub said on Thursday.

"The strikes of Russia’s aerospace forces have undermined combat capabilities of the IS international terrorist group and other units," he said.

Russia’s aerospace forces launched pinpoint strikes against the Islamic State targets in Syria at the request of Syrian President Bashar Assad on September 30. The air group comprises more than 50 aircraft and helicopters, including the newest Su-34 fighter bombers, and also modernized Su-24M and Su-25 fighter jets.