Russian air force fighter have destroyed more than 1,200 IS tanker trucks during operation in Syria TASS 11612151

Posted On
The conflict in Syria
 
Russian air force fighter have destroyed more than 1,200 IS tanker trucks during operation in Syria.
Russian aircraft have destroyed more than 1,200 tanker trucks with oil products of the Islamic State terrorist organization since the beginning of the operation in Syria, Chief of Russia’s General Staff Main Operations Department Lieutenant-General Sergei Rudskoy said on Wednesday, December 16, 2015.
     
Russian aircraft have destroyed more than 1,200 tanker trucks with oil products of the Islamic State terrorist organization since the beginning of the operation in Syria, Chief of Russia’s General Staff Main Operations Department Lieutenant-General Sergei Rudskoy said on Wednesday, December 16, 2015. Islamic State oil tanker trucks destroyed by Russian air force
     
"The Russian air task force has destroyed more than 1,200 tanker trucks carrying crude oil and oil products since the beginning of the operation," he said.

Over the last three days, the Russian air task force has destroyed six illegal oil producing facilities in Syria and seven convoys of tanker trucks carrying crude oil and oil products.

"The Russian air task force has enhanced the intensity of strikes against the Islamic State terrorist organization [outlawed in Russia] and other terror groupings over the last several weeks. The Russian air task force continues focusing on destroying terrorists’ sources of income in Syria," the general said.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said earlier that Russian air strikes had halved the Islamic State terrorist organization’s revenues from illegal oil trade from $3 million to $1.5 million.

According to the Defense Ministry, the Islamic State terrorist organization operates about 8,500 tanker trucks, which transport more than 200,000 barrels of oil daily.

The Russian air task force started to conduct an operation against terrorists of the Islamic State and the Jabhat al-Nusra (terror organizations outlawed in Russia) in Syria on September 30, 2015 on the request from Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The Russian air task force comprises more than 50 aircraft, including Sukhoi Su-34 (NATO reporting name: Fullback) and Su-24M (Fencer) frontline bombers, Su-25 (Frogfoot) attack aircraft, Su-30SM (Flanker-C) multipurpose fighter jets and Mil Mi-8 (Hip) and Mi-24 (Hind) helicopters.

Russia does not intend to take part in the ground operation.

The Russian air task force said in mid-November 2015 that it would intensify strikes against oil producing, storage, transportation and refining facilities under control of the Islamic State terrorist organization.
     
© Copyright 2015 TASS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.