Syria Update: Russian Air Force destroys 29 ISIS camps in Syria in 24 hours

October 10, 2015 By administrator

A Su-34 fullback bomber performs air strikes in the provinces of Raqqah and Aleppo © Russian Defense Ministry / RIA Novosti

Russian warplanes in Syria have bombed 29 terrorist field camps and other facilities of the militant group Islamic State in the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

“Our aviation group over the past day has destroyed two militant command centers, 29 field camps, 23 fortified facilities and several troop positions with military hardware,” ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Saturday.

The Russian Air Force conducted 64 sorties and hit a total of 55 targets, he said.

He added that the Russian effort has “considerably degraded” the strength of the terrorist forces in Syria.

“During the initial phase of the operation, our warplanes have destroyed the biggest and most important supply hubs of ISIL,” Konashenkov said, calling Islamic State by its former name. This resulted in the “mobility and offensive capability” of the jihadists being reduced, he said.

The general said signal intelligence reports indicate that the militants are suffering from a shortage of fuel and ammunition after the Russian bombings. “Some of them are demoralized and are actively leaving the battle zone, moving in eastern and northeastern directions,” he said.

Konashenkov said that the increasing number of combat missions conducted by Russia in Syria is explained by the large number of potential targets identified and confirmed as viable by space and aerial reconnaissance.

Russia started its bombing campaign in Syria last week with a goal to provide air support to the government troops fighting against various terrorist groups, primarily Islamic State. This allowed Damascus to go on the offensive in Hama province on Friday.

Russia Air Force Destroys ISIL Command Center, Underground Depot Near Raqqa

October 3, 2015 By administrator

The Russian Air Force has destroyed an ISIL command center and underground depot with explosives near the Syrian city of Raqqa, Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said in a statement on Saturday.
“Accurate delivery of a concrete-piercing bomb BETAB-500 launched from a Su-34 aircraft near Raqqa destroyed a hardened command centre of one of the illegal armed groups as well as an underground bunker with explosives and ammunition depot,” Igor Konashenkov said.
“Russian air grouping continues making precise attacks at the ‪‎ISIL‬ terrorists from the Hmeymim airbase. Twenty-four hours a day ‪‎UAV‬s are monitoring the situation in the ISIL activity areas. All the detected targets are effectively engaged day and night in any weather conditions,” Igor Konashenkov said. “As a result of 6 sorties from the Hmeymim airbase in the evening and at night, pinpoint strikes hit 3 facilities of terrorists’ infrastructure.”

Su-34 and Su-24M aircraft of the Russian air grouping in Syria performed over 20 sorties attacking 9 objects of ISIL terrorists.

“At the Jisr al-Shughur district (Idlib), tactical bombers Su-24M eliminated storage bases for military hardware used by militants for preparation of terrorist attacks. Moreover, an airstrike was made against a base of militants at the same district. It completely destroyed depots with ammunition and equipment situated at the base,” he added.
Fortifications, ammunitions depots, seven units of the military equipment near Syria’s Maarrat al-Numan were also destroyed by the Russian Air Force, Igor Konashenkov added.
“Su-34 tactical bomber engaged an ISIL base near Maarrat Al-Nuuman (Idlib) with a guided air bomb KAB-500 during a pinpoint strike. According to the objective monitoring data, terrorist fortifications, ammunition and POL depots as well as 7 vehicles were destroyed.”
On Wednesday, Russia commenced precision airstrikes on ISIL targets in Syria upon Syrian President Bashar Assad’s request. The Russian Defense Ministry said that during the first two days of the operation the country’s aircraft hit over 10 targets, among them an explosives factory, an arms depot and an ISIL coordination center.

Source: sputniknews.com

Turkish ISIS Destroys Armenian Genocide Memorial Church in Der Zor

September 22, 2014 By administrator

By Weekly Staff

DER ZOR, Syria (A.W.)—The Islamic State (also known as ISIS) destroyed the Armenian Genocide Memorial Church in Der Zor, news agencies in the Middle East reported.

The reports surfaced as Armenia was celebrating the 23^rd anniversary of its independence on Sept. 21.

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian issued a statement condemning the destruction of the church, which housed the remains of victims of the Armenian Genocide, calling it a “horrible barbarity.”

Nalbandian called upon the international community to cut the Islamic State’s sources of supply, support, and financing, and eradicate what it referred to as a disease that “threatened civilized mankind.”

The church was built in 1989-1990, and consecrated a year later. A genocide memorial and a museum housing remains of the victims of the genocide was also built in the church compound.

Thousands of Armenians from Syria and neighboring countries gathered at the memorial every year on April 24 to commemorate the genocide.

Many refer to Der Zor as the Auschwitz of the Armenian Genocide.

Hundreds of thousands of Armenians perished in Der Zor and the surrounding desert during the genocide. In summer 1916 alone, more than 200,000 Armenians, mostly women and children, were brutally massacred by Ottoman Turkish gendarmes and bands from the region.

Iraq ISIS destroys 3 oil wells in Ain Zalah field, Kurdish forces in pursuit

August 29, 2014 By administrator

Ain Zalah (IraqiNews.com) A source in the Kurdish Peshmerga forces said on Thursday that militants of the organization of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant blew up oil wells and oil stockpiles in Zammar District, pointing out that Kurdish Peshmerga were advancing in pursuit of ISIS fighters as reported earlier by IraqiNews.com.

The source said in an interview for IraqiNews.com, that “The militants of ISIS, who exist in Zammar District, blew up three oil wells in the field of Ain Zalah,” noting that “a great fire burned in the locations of the oil wells.”

The source, who requested anonymity, said that “the Peshmerga forces started advancing, this morning, toward Zammar district from three axes,” noting that “the Peshmerga managed to progress significantly toward entering the center of the district.”

The organization of ISIS dominated Zammar district, the province of Nineveh, in the beginning of the current month of August after the withdrawal of the Peshmerga forces.