ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Militants of the Islamic State (ISIS) say they have killed five Russian soldiers in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, which has been under ISIS rule since May 2015.
The claim was published on several ISIS online websites on Friday but has not been confirmed by either Moscow or Damascus.
An ISIS-affiliated website claimed at least four of the soldiers were killed in an area west of Qasr al-Halabat, west of Palmyra, while planning an offensive. The militants said one of the killed was a Russian adviser.
The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has confirmed the presence of Russian advisers in the area but was not able to immediately verify the latest ISIS claim.
The report comes days after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced he was withdrawing most of his military force from Syria.
Russian warplanes were striking ISIS in Palmyra in recent weeks in what seemed to be an effort to push back the militants from the area.
Moscow has said it will continue to target ISIS sites in Syria despite the surprise withdrawal.
If ISIS claim were confirmed, it would be the single largest loss of Russian lives in Syria since the deployment of their forces in September.
According to Russian Defense Ministry three Russian personnel have been killed in Syria to date.
The claim was published on several ISIS online websites on Friday but has not been confirmed by either Moscow or Damascus.
An ISIS-affiliated website claimed at least four of the soldiers were killed in an area west of Qasr al-Halabat, west of Palmyra, while planning an offensive. The militants said one of the killed was a Russian adviser.
The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has confirmed the presence of Russian advisers in the area but was not able to immediately verify the latest ISIS claim.
The report comes days after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced he was withdrawing most of his military force from Syria.
Russian warplanes were striking ISIS in Palmyra in recent weeks in what seemed to be an effort to push back the militants from the area.
Moscow has said it will continue to target ISIS sites in Syria despite the surprise withdrawal.
If ISIS claim were confirmed, it would be the single largest loss of Russian lives in Syria since the deployment of their forces in September.
According to Russian Defense Ministry three Russian personnel have been killed in Syria to date.
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