BEIRUT — Russia has conducted its first airstrikes in Syria after Moscow received formal parliamentary approval to conduct military operations in the war-torn country.
Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed Wednesday afternoon that the country’s air force had “begun airstrikes on the Islamic State positions in Syria.”
The statement came after pro-rebel All4Syria outlet reported in the morning that Russian jets had conducted raids early Wednesday in the village of Zafarana north of Homs as well as near the town of Lataminah northwest of Hama, neither of which are ISIS strongholds.
A number of other activist websites also ran stories on the strikes, which allegedly targeted not only Lataminah and Zafarana, but also a number of other rebel-held towns north of Homs.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that at least 27 people, including five women and six children, had been killed in airstrikes on areas in the Homs towns of Rastan, Talbisa and Zafarana, while videos circulated purporting to show the aftermaths of the raids. ...”
That’s what Obama wants you to think.