Russia and Turkey have started their first joint¹ air operation against militants² of the Islamic State (IS) in Syria's northern province of Aleppo, a senior Russian military officer said here on Wednesday.

 

俄罗斯一位高级军官周三表示，俄罗斯与土耳其在叙利亚北部阿勒波省联合举行一场打击伊斯兰国的空战演习。

 

"The air operation, agreed with the Syrian side, involves nine Russian combat planes and eight Turkish jets," Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoy, Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the Russian General Staff, told a news briefing.

 

A total of 36 facilities have been targeted, and drones and satellites conducted an additional reconnaissance of the targets over the past two days, said Rudskoy, adding that the joint operation was "highly successful."

 

The "previously³ unparalleled joint action" became possible after Russian and Turkish Air Forces signed a memorandum⁴ on Jan. 12 on preventing incidents and ensuring aviation safety during operations in Syria. 

 

With support of Russian jets, the Syrian government forces are now attacking IS terrorists around Syria's ancient city of Palmyra, the Lt. General said.

 

Russia and Turkey brokered⁵ a nationwide truce⁶ in war-torn Syria from Dec. 30, but it does not apply to IS and other terrorist groups.

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