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Russia's airstrikes in Syria destroyed over 200 oil production, transfer facilities: minister

Xinhua, March 15, 2016 Adjust font size:

Russia's airstrikes in Syria have so far destroyed more than 200 oil production and fuel transfer facilities, as well as more than 2,000 means of petroleum products delivery, said Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Monday.

The minister said this when reporting to President Vladimir Putin the results of Russian anti-terror airstrikes in Syria.

Started from Sept. 30 of 2015, Russian aircraft deployed in Syria flew more than 9,000 sorties and carried out airstrikes with precision weapons in a range of more than 1,500 kilometers.

"In Syria, more than 2,000 gunmen who were immigrants from Russia have been eliminated, including 17 field commanders," an official Kremlin transcript quoted Shoigu as saying.

Shoigu added that with the support of Russian aircraft, Syrian troops have liberated a total of 400 populated localities and more than 10,000 square kilometers of territory.

"As a result of airstrikes, we managed to largely stop, even fully stop in some places the resources support to terrorists by terminating hydrocarbons trade," Shoigu said.

"The main routes of delivering hydrocarbons from Turkey, the main routes of arms and ammunition supply to gunmen have been shut off," he added.

According to the minister, the start of Russian airstrikes became "a significant turning point in the fight against terrorism."

Terrorists were driven out of several key areas in Syria including Latakia and most of Hama and Homs provinces, while fighting continues to release such places like Palmyra, Shoigu said.

More than 80 groups and areas to date have joined the current ceasefire in Syria, he said, noting the Russian side would ensure monitoring of the ceasefire observance through all kinds of intelligence means.

Earlier in the day, Putin ordered to withdraw from March 15 "main body of the Russian air forces" deployed in Syria to fight against terrorist groups like the Islamic State.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Defense Ministry would further specify details and timeframe of the withdrawal. Enditem