Six Russian Tu-22M3 Bombers Destroy Daesh Command Posts, Militants Near Palmyra

Six Russian Tu-22M3 long-range bombers attacked Daesh targets near Palmyra on Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

"On August 8, 2016, six long-range Tu-22M3 bombers which took off in Russia dealt a concentrated high-explosive ammunition attack on targets of the Daesh terrorist group in areas east and northwest of Palmyra, near the As Sukhnah and Arak settlements."

#SYRIA 6 Tu-22M3 bombers took off from Russian territory, carried out concentrated strike on #ISIS objects near al-Sukhnah and Arak

— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) 8 августа 2016 г.

A command post and a large militant field camp have been destroyed near As Sukhnah, while terrorists near Palmyra and Arak sustained losses in manpower, arms depots, armored and all-terrain vehicles with mounted guns, as well as command posts, the ministry added.

It was noted that the bombers returned safely and landed on their airfields following the concentrated attack.

#SYRIA All Russian aircraft have returned to the airfield after accomplishing the combat task

— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) 8 августа 2016 г.

Russia has been conducting a counterterrorist campaign in Syria since September 30, 2015, at President Bashar Assad's request. On March 14, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the Defense Ministry to withdraw the bulk of the Russian military contingent from Syria.