Russia in fresh round of airstrikes in Syria

Russian aircraft have bombed five more Islamic State targets in Syria, according to the Russian defence ministry.

This is reportedly the third round of bombings Russia has conducted this week.

According to defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov as quoted by RIA Novosti:

“Russian Sukhoi Su-24M and Sukhoi Su-25M conducted eight flights to strike five IS targets.

We have prevented Islamic State fighters from reestablishing a command post in the Hama province that had been destroyed in our air strikes on September 30.”

On 30 September 2015, the Russian Federation Council approved the use of Russian military in Syria to fight Islamic State at a request from the Syrian President Bashar Assad. Airstrikes against rebel targets started the same day.

Russia launched its first airstrikes against targets in Rastan, Talbiseh, and Zafaraniya in Homs province of Syria. Moscow gave the Western coalition one hour notice of its operations in order to alert western forces to their presence.

The Russian Defence Ministry stated it had deployed over 50 fixed wing aircraft and helicopters to Syria. Russia is assisting the forces of President Assad fight IS.