Russian jets carried out 187 airstrikes on terrorist targets in Syria in the course of 62 sorties during the past two days, the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman said Wednesday. Areas where warring sides agreed to cease hostilities and start negotiations were not targeted, he emphasized.
The Russian Aerospace Forces continue to attack militant groups in Syria which are not included in the cessation of hostilities agreement and are designated as terrorist organizations by the UN, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said.
“During the past two days, 187 targets in the provinces of Hama, Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, Aleppo and Homs were struck in the course of 62 sorties.”
A Su-34 bomber destroyed over 10 strongholds and neutralized more than 50 militants in the Hama province, he elaborated.
“The intensity of Russian airstrikes in Syria fell significantly in the past two days, especially in areas where local authorities and armed groups have agreed to cease hostilities and start negotiations. We are not targeting those areas at all,” Konashenkov said.
The spokesman emphasized that airstrikes are conducted only against militant groups designated as terrorist organization by the United Nations.
“The agreement between Russia and the US [on cessation of hostilities in Syria] does not apply to Daesh, al-Nusra Front and other militants, designated as terrorist organizations by the UN Security Council.”
On Monday, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that an agreement on cessation of hostilities between the Syrian government of President Bashar Assad and the armed opposition factions had been reached. The agreement will come into force on February 27.
Russia has been fighting terrorists in Syria since September 30 at President Assad’s request.