Russian warplanes strike IS bases near historic city of Palmyra

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia says its warplanes have bombed Islamic State (IS) positions around the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, BBC News reports.

A fortification, an underground bunker and anti-aircraft guns were destroyed in strikes by Su-25 jets, according to a defense ministry statement.

Activists said the air strikes targeted the area around a reconstructed 13th Century castle perched on a hilltop to the west of Palmyra's Roman-era ruins.

The activists added it was difficult to assess the extent of the damage.

"Su-25 jets hit a fortified IS position in the Tadmur area of Homs province," a Russian defence ministry statement said, using the Arabic name for Palmyra.

"As a result of a direct strike, a fortification, an underground bunker and anti-aircraft artillery were destroyed."

A local activist told AP news agency by telephone that there had been eight strikes around the area of the castle on Monday, sending smoke and dust rising above the hill.

Activists from the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported suspected Russian air strikes on the nearby town of al-Qaryatain, which was captured by IS in August.

Palmyra's castle, known as Qalaat Shirkuh or Qalaat Ibn Maan, is part of the Unesco World Heritage site and sits on a hilltop about 150m above the main ruins.

It was long attributed to a 17th Century Lebanese Maanite emir, but archaeologists say the original fortress was constructed around 1230 by the Homs emir, al-Mujahid Assad al-Din Shirkuh II.