The Syrian military claimed to have carried out 179 sorties against 673 terrorist targets in the last five days.

A military spokesman said on Thursday that the raids were carried out in Lattakia, dir Ezzor, Aleppo, Idleb, Hama, Homs and Damascus.

“The sorties ended up with destruction of 3 command-centres in Palmyra, al-Ameriya and Sawanah in addition to two convoys of vehicles in the surrounding of Jazal oil field, east and south of al-Bayarat in Homs countryside,” SANA quoted the army spokesman as saying.

According to the spokesman, the Syrian military destroyed dens for Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists in East of Ariha, Urom al-Jouz, Tal Mardekh and west of Tamana’a in Idleb.

“The army’s air force raids on terrorists in Aleppo countryside led to the destruction of communication centers and vehicles in Kfar Hamra, Hayan, Tal Ahmar, Rasm al-Abd, dir Hafir, Tal Ayoub, Daret Ezzah and al-Mifelsah,” he said.

“In the central region, the army went ahead in its operations along Homs south-eastern said, establishing control on mountains of Mahin, Tloul Um Kadoum, Zaher al-Dukan, Jabal al-Ramiya, Mahin and Hawarin villages after killing large numbers of the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists.”

Russia earlier claimed to have delivered massive strikes in the region where the Sukhoi Su-24M had been rescued. Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said on Thursday that Russia had done the operation along with the Syrian military.

"As soon as our pilot was safe, Russian bombers and rocket artillery of the Syrian government forces delivered massive strikes at the mentioned area," Russian News Agency TASS quoted Konashenkov as saying. "Terrorists and other mysterious groups acting in the area were destroyed."

The Russian spokesman also said terrorists and other armed units had attempted to grab the navigator of the Russian jet gunned down by Turkey.

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