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Russia Fires Cruise Missiles at Islamic State in Syria

by VOA News

   Russia's Defense Ministry says its forces fired four cruise missiles
   from the Mediterranean Sea to hit Islamic State targets in Syria.

   The ministry said the missiles came from a frigate and a submarine and
   landed near the city of Palmyra, striking heavy weapons and Islamic
   State militants who had deployed there from the group's de facto
   capital in Raqqa.

   Russia said it notified the United States, Turkey and Israel before
   firing the missiles. It did not say exactly when the strikes took
   place.

   The Palmyra area has seen a lot of fighting during the past year, with
   control of the city changing between Islamic State fighters and the
   Syrian government several times. Syrian forces currently hold the city,
   but clashes continue.

   Russian forces have been involved in Syria since late 2015 in support
   of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and Russia has been criticized by
   the United States and others for not focusing enough of its air
   campaign against Islamic State targets.