Russia shoots down six drones launched by Syria militants in Latakia

Russia has downed six drones launched by Takfiri militants against the country’s Hmeimim air base in Syria's western province of Latakia.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that its air defenses destroyed the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)  at a “safe distance” as they approached the base from the northwest on Sunday evening.

According to the statement, no damage was caused to the base during the militant attack.

The failed drone raid is not the first attempt by militants to target the Russian facility.

On August 8, the militants fired four rockets at the base, but all the projectiles exploded mid-air and failed to reach their targets. However, the incident killed two civilians from a nearby village and injured four others.

On August 5, the militants fired three unguided missiles at the base but the missile landed outside the bases, injuring four civilians.

Russia has been helping Syrian forces alongside Iran and the Lebanese movement Hezbollah in ongoing battles against foreign-backed terrorist across the conflict-plagued Arab country.

The Russian military assistance, which began in September 2015 at the official request of the Syrian government, has proven effective as Syrians continue to recapture key areas from Daesh and other foreign-backed terrorist groups across the country with Russian air support.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The Syrian government says the Israeli regime and its Western and regional allies are aiding Takfiri terrorist groups that are wreaking havoc in the country.

Deash threatens to step up fight against US-backed Kurds

Meanwhile, the Daesh terrorist group on Sunday vowed to intensify its fight against the US-led coalition and Kurdish militants in eastern Syria after the US Defense Department said in a report released earlier this month that the group “solidified its insurgent capabilities in Iraq and was re-surging in Syria.”

The resurgence of Daesh comes as reports said earlier this year that a deal was clinched between the United States and Daesh, under which Washington has received massive amounts of gold in exchange for providing safe passage to the terror group’s members in Syria.

 “The fire of the battle between us and them has been reignited and will intensify,” Daesh said of the Kurdish militants in a video posted on its Telegram channel on Sunday.

Syrian Kurds pronounced the death of Daesh's nearly five-year-old "caliphate" in late March after flushing out diehard terrorists from the village of Baghouz, their very last bastion, in eastern Syria.

The terror outfit launched a campaign of bloodshed and destruction in Syria and Iraq in 2014. Later that year, the US led scores of its allies in an invasion of the two countries under the pretext of dislodging the terrorists.

Damascus objects to Washington’s military presence on its soil and has repeatedly brought its stated goal into question.

Daesh has lost almost all of the swathes of land it had captured from the Syrian government thanks to successful army operations, which have the backing of Iran and Russia.

However, sporadic attacks by the group, which retains sleeper cells, are still reported in eastern and northeastern Syria.

Also on Sunday, the terrorist group said the US-led coalition has entrapped its local adversaries, including the Kurds.

“They have been thrown into the flames of a fierce war that will leave them without tail or head,” Daesh warned.

Assad performs Eid prayers in Damascus

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad performed the Eid-al-Adha prayers along other worshipers at al-Afram Mosque in the capital Damascus on Sunday.

Assad also listened to the Eid sermon, which was delivered by Sheikh Hassan Awad, in which he referred to Damascus’ victory over terrorism through the steadfastness of the president and the people as well as the army’s sacrifices.

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