Russian Army’s Airstrike On US-Backed Militants In Central Syria

General Yuri Popov, deputy head of the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of Warring Parties in the Syrian Arab Republic, announced that Russian army fighter jets destroyed three hideouts belonging to the militants in mountainous and hard-to-reach areas in Homs Governorate in central Syria.

According to Popov, these militants were transferred from the Al-Tanf military base to a mountainous region in Homs known as “Al-Amour,” and after they were stationed in three hideouts, Russian fighter jets targeted them.

More details have not been released so far, but it appears that these individuals were among the militants of the Free Syrian Army. The most active terrorist group in Homs Governorate is the ISIS group, which has carried out numerous attacks against the Syrian army and its allies in recent months.

It is worth mentioning that about 200 US troops, along with hundreds of Free Syrian Army militants, are stationed at the Al-Tanf military base. The US-led coalition has declared a 55-kilometer radius around this military base a no-fly zone, but nevertheless, Russian army fighter jets regularly fly over the base or its surrounding areas.

US officials claim that American soldiers are present in Al-Tanf to combat the ISIS terrorist group, but in reality, the main purpose of this military base is to block the strategic Damascus-Baghdad highway. In addition, it is said that this base is used as a center for gathering intelligence and facilitating Israeli attacks against Syria. Syrian and Russian authorities have repeatedly accused US forces in Al-Tanf military base of training and even arming terrorists, including ISIS.