Russian military aircraft hit 1097 terrorists targets in Syria and conducted 311 sorties since the beginning of 2016, the Russian General Staff announced.

Russian combat aircraft carried out over 300 missions in Syria since the beginning of 2016, hitting about 1,100 terrorist targets in ten provinces, the Russian General Staff said Monday.

Terrorist groups operating in Syria continue to receive reinforcements coming through Turkey, despite all efforts by the global community the Russian General Staff announced.

“Russian jets are striking the terrorists’ strongholds in Syria. We have conducted 311 sorties and destroyed at least 1,097 targets in the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Homs, Damascus, Deir-er-Zor, Hasakah, Daraa and Raqqa,” Rudskoy said.

“As a result of the Russian airstrikes the terrorists continue to suffer losses”, head of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Sergei Rudskoy added.

Over 150 towns and villages in Syria have been freed over the last 1.5 months thanks to the support provided to Syrian troops by Russian aviation, the Russian General Staff said Monday.

Russian jets have supported 11 different democractic militia forces in their advance against terrorist positions.

“We support people’s militia who are fighting against terrorism in Syria. Today our bomber jets strike to help the moderate opposition in their advance,” the head of the General Staff said.

“In December 2015, militants were driven out of 134 towns and villages, and from another 19 during the first days of this year. The most success has been reached in the regions of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Homs and Raqqa,” Lt. Gen. Sergey Rudskoy, chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, said.

The general also added that the Syrian army regained control over 6 key positions in Latakia.

The airstrikes mainly targeted terrorist infrastructure, oil facilities, large groups of militants and military equipment with the goal to provide effective support to Syrian army units and groups of patriotic opposition fighting Islamic State (Daesh in Arabic) on the ground.