Russian Defence Ministry says airstrike on Syria's Idlib kills 45 terrorists of Al-Nusra

A Russian airstrike conducted in Syria's Idlib province has killed 45 terrorists of the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group, the Russian Defence Ministry's official said. Speaking at a briefing, Major General Oleg Egorov, deputy head of the Russian Defence Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria, said that Russian aerospace forces carried out a group airstrike on the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organization's base in Idlib province, Sputnik reported. Egorov stated that the airstrike conducted by Russian forces killed over 45 terrorists, including field commanders Sayyid and Abu Dujana al-Diri.

"On September 17, the Russian Aerospace Forces conducted a group air strike on the base of Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organization in the Sheikh Youssef area in Idlib province. The strike destroyed an arms depot, two materiel depots, and killed more than 45 militants, including field commanders Bilal Sayyid and Abu Dujana al-Diri,"  Sputnik quoted Major General Oleg Egorov as saying. 

Furthermore, Major General Oleg Egorov said that the airstrike conducted by Russian aerospace forces destroyed an arms depot and two materials. According to Egorov, the terrorists, who were killed in the airstrike, had direct involvement in attacks on Syrian troops and civilians. He underscored that the terrorists were planning to sabotage and terrorist activities in the Idlib province of Syria. Major General Oleg Egorov further said that the militants of the terrorist group conducted five artillery attacks in the Idlib de-escalation zone in a day. According to him, shellings were reported in Aleppo province and Latakia province. 

Russia claims leader of Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad group killed in airstrike

Earlier on 9 September, Oleg Yegorov, deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria, said that the leader of the Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad terrorist group, Sirajuddin Mukhtarov was killed in a Russian airstrike. According to him, Sirajuddin Mukhtarov was responsible for the organization of terrorist attacks on Syrian government forces and civilian infrastructure facilities. Oleg Yegorov said, "According to the latest reports, leader of the Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad illegal armed group Sirajuddin Mukhtarov (codename Abu Saloh), who was behind the organization of terror attacks on Syrian government forces and civil infrastructure facilities, was killed as a result of a strike delivered by the Russian aerospace forces at a militant camp in Idlib on September 8," TASS reported. Yegorov further announced that over 20 high-ranking members of Jabhat al-Nusra were killed. 

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