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WORLD NEWS Friday 17 august 2018

Russia says drone attacks on its Syria base have increased

HEMEIMEEM AIR BASE, Syria heritage site protected by
(AP) — Russian air defense the United Nation's cultural
assets in Syria have downed agency.
45 drones targeting their In Aleppo, Hazem Ajan, the
main base in the country, director of the city's indus-
its military said Thursday, trial cluster, told reporters
after an attack by the Is- that about 500 companies
lamic State group on a Syr- have resumed operations in
ian army base a day earlier the area since the govern-
killed seven troops. ment reclaimed control in
The Russian Defense Ministry 2016. Meanwhile, in eastern
spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Syria, at least seven soldiers
Konashenkov, said that five were killed with the Islamic
of them were shot down State group attacked an
in the last three days near army position near the city
the Hemeimeem air base. of Deir el-Zour, a monitoring
The base in the province of group said Thursday.
Latakia serves as the main The Syrian Observatory for
hub for Russian operations Human Rights said the at-
in Syria. tack on Wednesday near
Konashenkov said that the Taim oil field was the
while the drones appear militants' closest approach
primitive, they use sophis- to the Deir el-Zour air base
ticated technologies and since the government re-
have a range of up to 100 A local resident rides motorcycle near portraits of Syrian President Bashar al-Asad, and Russian captured it from the group
kilometers (60 miles). He President Vladimir Putin in the town of Rastan, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. last year.q
charged that the militants Associated Press
wouldn't have been able
to assemble the drones province of Hama.
without outside help, but In Homs, regional Gov.
didn't specify who might Talal Barazi told interna-
have assisted them. tional reporters during a trip
The Russian general noted organized by the Russian
that the number of drone Defense Ministry that a key
attacks have increased bridge on a highway linking
recently, adding that all the Homs and Hama prov-
of them were launched by inces that was destroyed in
militants based in the north- 2012 has been restored.
ern province of Idlib. Barazi said that later this
Idlib has become the main year his administration
base for President Bashar plans to start restoring the
Assad's foes, which moved old part of Homs that was
there after being forced ravaged by fierce fighting
out from other areas across in 2014.
Syria as part of surrender He said that about 650 reb-
deals often negotiated els who had left the prov-
with the Russians on behalf ince and moved to Idlib
of the Syrian government. have come back to Homs
With Russia's support, and agreed to lay down
Assad's forces have re- their arms.
gained control over key cit- Barazi said that the historic
ies, like Aleppo, Homs and city of Palmyra, home to
Daraa, the southern city one of the Middle East's
where the uprising against most spectacular archaeo-
the government began in logical sites, could be open
March 2011. The authorities for tourist visits by next sum-
also have restored control mer. Many of the city's ar-
over key highways, allow- chaeological treasures
ing safe travel all the way were badly damaged by
form the Jordanian border the Islamic State group in
in the south to the central 2015. Palmyra is a world