30 foreign militants killed in joint Syrian-Russian operation in Idlib

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Syrian and Russian air forces carried out a strategic attack on two Hurras Al-Deen bases in the eastern countryside of the Idlib Governorate on Sunday, October 6, Al-Masdar News reports.

The airstrikes by the Russian and Syrian air forces reportedly destroyed the militant bases in the eastern Idlib towns of Agher and Ballisa, resulting in the death of many militants, mostly foreign militants.

While pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) placed the death toll at nine, with six of the casualties being Hurras Al-Deen militants, the Syrian military’s numbers were less conservative.

According to the Syrian military, the joint Russian-Syrian attack resulted in the death of more than 30 militants from the Hurras Al-Deen group, with almost all of the reported casualties being foreign combatants.

Among the dead militants were several militants from the Russian Caucasus region, including the countries of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Chechnya.

The Syrian military source said their forces had been scoping out this area in eastern Idlib for several days before the attack; they would ultimately wait for the militant group to hold a commanders meeting before striking.

The source pointed out that the militant group was preparing to launch a large-scale offensive in eastern Idlib prior to Sunday’s attack.