Russian Ministry of Defense reports death of four soldiers in Syria
Four Russian soldiers were killed in Syria during a battle in the province of Deir ez-Zor, Interfax news agency reports with reference to Russian Ministry of Defense.
"Two Russian military advisers who were in charge of the Syrian artillery battery were killed. Five more Russian servicemen were injured and immediately taken to the Russian military hospital. The military doctors fought for the lives of the two wounded soldiers, but they succumbed to their wounds. The servicemen have been presented with state awards posthumously, " the Russian Ministry of Defense stated.
According to the Ministry, the battle took place in the province of Deir ez-Zor in at night. The ministry did not provide the date of the battle.
Earlier, the news outlet Chita.ru reported that four servicemen from the Transbaikal region of Russia were killed in Syria. According to sources of the publication, the dead were part of the artillery brigade, which came under enemy fire four days ago.
At the same time, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that as a result of the attack by the Islamic State militants on the positions of the Syrian army, at least 26 soldiers of the Syrian government forces and nine Russians were killed near the city of Mayadin in Deir ez-Zor province.
"35 soldiers of pro-government forces, including at least nine Russians, were killed. Some of these Russian citizens were regular servicemen, but not all," said Rami Abdul Rahman, head of the SOHR.
According to him, the remaining 26 dead served in the forces controlled by Syrian President Bashar Assad.