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Russia strikes kill 250 Daesh militants in Syria’s Palmyra: General

Wednesday, 14 September 2016 5:37 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 14 September 2016 6:52 PM ]

Russian Su-25 jets prepare to land after return from Syria at an air base in Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Russia, March 16, 2016. (Photo by AP)

A senior Russian army official says his country’s aircraft have conducted air raids in the recently-recaptured Syrian city of Palmyra, leaving 250 Daesh terrorists dead.

In a briefing broadcast on state television on Wednesday, Lieutenant General Viktor Poznikhir said the Tuesday airstrikes hit northern Palmyra, "where Daesh militants are concentrated."

The Daesh militants, who were targeted in the Russian aerial assaults, were preparing an attack on Palmyra, which was liberated from their grip in March, Poznikhir added.

Russian army soldiers patrol the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra on May 5, 2016. (Photo by AFP)

He further noted that the Russian strikes had killed 250 terrorists and destroyed some 15 pickups with mounted machine guns and anti-aircraft guns, emphasizing that the campaign against Daesh would continue.

'Truce should be extended for 48 hours'

Elsewhere in his remarks, Poznikhir urged a 48-hour extension of the Russia-US brokered Syria ceasefire that went into effect on Monday.

US Secretary of State John Kerry (L) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov shake hands at the conclusion of their press conference following their meeting in the Swiss city of Geneva where they discussed the crisis in Syria on September 9, 2016. ©Reuters

The seven-day truce was agreed after marathon talks between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry in the Swiss city of Geneva as part of a bid to end the Syrian conflict.

Additionally, Poznikhir complained that the foreign-backed militants had violated the Syria truce 60 times in the first 48 hours after it went into effect.

'Some terrorist outfits reluctant to end fighting'

Meanwhile, the Russian general said that some US-backed terrorist groups, such as Ahrar al-Sham, “have openly stated their unwillingness" to abide by the ceasefire.

“The greatest number of violations is associated with these groups,” he said, adding, however, that Syrian government forces have not returned fire.

Poznikhir also stressed that Moscow was "fully meeting its responsibilities" regarding the implementation of the cessation of hostilities in Syria.

However, he expressed doubts that Washington would be able to fulfill its pledge to persuade Syria’s opposition to sever links with the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham terrorist group, al-Qaeda's Syrian branch formerly known as al-Nusra Front.

Since March 2011, Syria has been hit by militancy it blames on some Western states and their regional allies.

Russia has been conducting airstrikes against Daesh and other terrorist groups in Syria at the Damascus government’s request since last September.

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