Syrian desert | Over 200 Russian airstrikes nearly 30 ISIS members in 72 hours kill

As the Russians continue their aerial operations on ISIS positions in the Syrian desert, SOHR sources have documented over 210 airstrikes by Russian fighter jets in the past 72 hours, targeting positions, caves, bunkers and vehicles and killing at least 29 ISIS members. The airstrikes could be distributed as follows:

• On Saturday: Russian jets executed nearly 70 airstrikes, targeting positions in Atheriya, the surrounding areas in the eastern countryside of Hama, and other areas in Deir Ezzor desert, killing 13 ISIS members.

• On Sunday: Russian jets executed 30 airstrikes on positions in Al-Raqqah desert, Deir Ezzor countryside, near the administrative border with Al-Raqqah, and Aleppo-Al-Raqqah-Hama triangle, killing five ISIS

• On Monday: Russian jets executed nearly 90 airstrikes, targeting Aleppo-Al-Raqqah-Hama triangle, Al-Raqqah and Deir Ezzor deserts, and the eastern countryside of Homs, killing 11 ISIS

The death toll is expected to rise further as the Russian airstrikes left other ISIS members injured, some seriously. While the airstrikes in the past 72 hours have caused material damage, as several caves, bunkers and vehicles have been destroyed.

SOHR would like to point out that SOHR activists could document the death of only 29 ISIS members. However, the real number of fatalities may be higher.

Since 24th of March 2019, SOHR has documented the killing of at least 1,381 regime soldiers and loyalists of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, including at least two Russians, and 149 Iranian-backed militiamen of non-Syrian nationalities. All were killed in attacks, bombings and ambushes by the “Islamic State”, west of Euphrates in the deserts of Deir Ezzor, Homs, and Al-Suwaidaa.

Also, four civilians working in gas fields, 11 shepherds and four other people were killed and documented by SOHR in the same period, from late March 2019 until today. They were killed in attacks by ISIS cells. While 896 ISIS members were also killed in attacks and bombardment in the same period.