Sputnik quoted a source on Sunday as saying that Russian warships docked on the shores of Syria have targeted the positions of ISIL elements in the country's deserts with missiles.
"The positions of the terrorist group, which was targeted, are located between the deserts of Homs and Hama. Based on intelligence and reconnaissance operations of the Russian Air Force, one of the headquarters of the ISIL group between the deserts of Hama and Homs was destroyed after midnight on Saturday," the source said.
"The intensive missile attack was carried out by one of the Russian warships that is present in the vicinity of the Syrian coast," the source noted.
ISIL members in recent weeks have increased their surprise attacks in Syria's north and northeast, where they maintain hideouts.
The group, which seized wide swathes of Syria and neighboring Iraq in 2013, went underground since it lost its last territory in eastern Syria in 2019.
At least 33 Syrian servicemen were killed on August 10 when a bus they were travelling in was ambushed near the city of Al Mayadin some 368 km away from the capital of Damascus. Medical sources said later that the death toll may grow because 11 wounded servicemen were admitted to hospital in serious condition.
The attack was claimed by the ISIL later that day. They said they had carried out an ambush on "two military buses" and attacked them with "heavy weapons and rocket-propelled grenades." They also said they had set one of the buses on fire, according to a statement they released through their Amaq news agency.
Last week, the ISIL announced the death of its leader Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi, who it said was killed in clashes in northwestern Syria. The group named Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi its new leader.
Last month, it claimed responsibility for the two bombings that hit the Sayyeda Zeinab area south of Damascus, killing and wounding dozens.
According to Al Hadath television, terrorists carried out over 40 armed assaults in eastern Syria since the start of 2023, killing 67 servicemen and militiamen.
MNA/FNA14020522000189
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