Over 800 terrorists were killed and 14 battle tanks were destroyed by the Syrian armed forces, backed up by Russian strikers, during the repelling of a terrorist offensive near the city of Aleppo, the Russian Ministry of Defense has reported.

“The Syrian army troops and Russian air force repelled a massive militant attack today. More than 800 militants were killed, and 14 tanks, 10 infantry fighting vehicles, and more than 60 technical vehicles with mounted weapons were destroyed,” the Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoy said on Monday.

Rudskoy noted that terrorists continued to prevent the local population’s escape from the combat zone in an effort to use them as human shield, and pull reserves from other areas in an effort to undermine the government troops’ resolve.

“Thus, the terrorists executed four people attempting to exit through the humanitarian corridors yesterday in the Eastern part of Aleppo,” he said.

The lieutenant general pointed out that Russian aircraft do their utmost to avoid collateral civilian damage by not targeting populated areas within city limits, unlike the US-led anti-ISIL coalition active near Manbij.

“The Russian Aerospace Forces actively supports government troops in repelling enemy attacks, carrying out selective strikes on militant positions,” Sergei Rudskoy said.

Russian air strikes were also reported in Sarmin and Saraqib in Idlib countryside.

Source: katehon.com