MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russian Aerospace Forces' Tu-22M3 aircraft have carried out 36 sorties, during which they destroyed 34 terrorist facilities near the Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor, Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi, chief of the Russian General Staff Main Operational Directorate, said Tuesday.
Russian long-range aircraft played an important role in undermining the combat capability and demoralization of Daesh troops in the area of the city of Deir ez-Zor. Tu-22M3 aircraft conducted 36 sorties, during which 34 terrorist facilities were destroyed. With the active support of Russian Aerospace Forces, the garrison of government troops in the besieged city of Deir ez-Zor has significantly improved its position," Rudskoi said.
Daesh terrorists had surrounded the Deir ez-Zor military airfield in Syria's northeast by mid-January.
Commenting on the development of the situation in the area, the Russian General Staff said that if terrorists capture Deir ez-Zor, civilians would be subjected to genocide and the local population could be completely wiped out.
The city of Deir ez-Zor, which is still held by Syrian government forces, has been under siege from Daesh since July 2014. The residents of Deir ez-Zor and the servicemen only receive food and humanitarian aid via air-drops. On January 30, the United Nations resumed aid deliveries after a two-week pause.
