Russia says its air force killed several Islamic State leaders in Syria
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Russia's defense ministry says it has killed several leaders of the Islamic State group outside their stronghold of Raqqa in Syria.
The ministry said Wednesday that it received a tip-off from the Syrian opposition last week about an upcoming meeting of IS leaders outside Raqqa, and kept the area under surveillance for two days before an Su-34 bomber attacked the meeting place. The date of the strike was not disclosed.
Russia is a staunch ally of President Bashar Assad, and it has been accused of using its air force operation in Syria which began in September in order to prop up Assad.
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The defense ministry said it is cooperating with unidentified "representatives of patriotic opposition forces" who have been providing Moscow with potential targets in Syria.