Iranian state media reported that a senior commander in Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard was killed by the Islamic State group on the outskirts of Aleppo city, but it was not immediately clear whether Gen. Hossein Hamedani’s death was related to the new IS offensive.
Advertisement
The advance, which he said marked their biggest gains in the area since late August, brought them within 2 km (just over a mile) of a government-held industrial zone on the northern edge of Aleppo, the largest city in north Syria.
Russian Federation is Assad’s main worldwide ally, and in recent days has dramatically stepped up its military intervention in support of Damascus.
He is one of the most senior Guard commanders to be killed in Syria, and the second this year.
An Iranian state television report said he was killed while “carrying out an advisory mission”.
Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. Iran is majority Shiite.
In a surprise attack, the Islamic State group seized a string of villages from rebels in Aleppo province Friday.
The Anadolu Agency said Mr Leyla, 27, died in the attack in the town of Hreitan, in northern Aleppo province.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack; however, the area has been frequently targeted by various militants groups operating in northern Syria.
“French Rafale jets dropped bombs on a training camp” in the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told Europe 1 radio. Russian Federation says its air campaign is aimed against Islamic militants.
He criticized Russia’s stepped-up and wide-ranging military action in Syria, saying “80 to 90 percent” of its actions do not target the Islamic State group.
Advertisement
Last month, France announced it would expand its campaign against ISIS, which had been limited to Iraq, to include ISIS positions in Syria.
