Russian Federation has stepped up its attacks on the Islamic State (Isis) militant group in Syria, bombarding targets with cruise missiles from warships in the Mediterranean and Caspian seas.
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Russians preparing to bomb ISIS targets in Syria have sent a message of defiance along with their weapons by writing “For Paris” and “For our People”, on the missiles.
Putin praised the Russian operation in Syria but said it was “still not sufficient” to wipe out the jihadists in the country and that a “large volume of work” lay ahead.
“There are fears for the aircraft and passengers due to Russian missiles”, said Talar Faeq, director general of Erbil airport. This is a move that, according to Shoigu, leaves ISIS without $1.5 million in daily income from lost oil sales.
Russian Federation has launched pinpoint air strikes against eight Islamic State targets.
On Sunday, US defense officials said warplanes destroyed 116 oil-hauling trucks in eastern Syria, the biggest strikes on the oil trade since the US-led air campaign began more than a year and a half ago.
This Saturday, hundreds of Islamic State militants reportedly fled the Syrian city of Raqqa as Russian fighters and long-range bombers have intensified their airstrikes on the strongholds and command centers of the ISIL militants in recent days.
The Russian Minister said the Caspian fleet has fired 18 cruise missiles on terrorist locations in Raqqa, Idleb, Aleppo and other provinces.
“The French strikes against oil sites controlled by Daesh (Islamic State) are part of legitimate self-defence”, French Foreign Ministry spokesman Romain Nadal told reporters on Friday.
Shoigu said the strikes this week inflicted significant casualties on the IS, including more than 600 militants killed in just one strike in the province of Deir el-Zour.
The Russian air force and navy have ratcheted up raids against IS targets in Syria since last Tuesday after Moscow identified the October 31 Russian plane crash over Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula a terrorist attack.
Putin agreed to coordinate military actions with France in Syria.
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A total of 500 oil tankers, smuggling oil from Syria to Iraq, were also destroyed according to the Ahlul Bayt News Agency.
