国际英语新闻:Russian airstrikes in Syria target 289 militant positions in 24 hours

DAMASCUS, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Russian air force carried out 107 airstrikes in Syria over the past 24 hours, targeting 289 positions of the militant groups, state news agency SANA reported on Friday.

The targeted positions were in the countryside of the northern province of Aleppo, the capital Damascus, northwestern province of Idlib, central provinces of Hama and Homs as well as the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, said SANA, citing a Syrian military source.

The strikes destroyed 34 command centers, 50 positions where military gears were located, 184 heavily fortified positions and 16 arm and fuel depots.

SANA said the airstrikes had the cooperation of the Syrian air force.

Russian airstrikes, which have been going on since late September against positions of the militant groups in Syria , are hailed by Syrian officials as essential in curbing the expansion of the jihadi groups in Syria, mainly the Islamic State (IS) group.

Since Russia started backing the Syrian army by its warplanes, several rebel-held areas have started falling back to the government control, mainly in the northern countryside of Latakia coastal city, the southern countryside of Aleppo and Homs.

On Oct. 8, almost a week after the beginning of the Russian strikes, Syria's Army Chief of Staff Gen. Abdullah Ayoub said the military has unleashed a broad offensive against rebel-held areas across the country, which is buoyed by Russian air support.