FILE IMAGE
The Russian Aerospace Forces have destroyed al-Nusra HQ near the Syrian city of Aleppo, killing some 67 members of the terrorist group, including 12 commanders, Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi, the chief of the Russian General Staff Main Operational Directorate, said on Friday.
According to Rudskoy, the event took place near the Rasm al-Eis village, located 28 km southwest of Aleppo on February 28.
“As a result, 67 terrorists, including 19 field commanders — natives of the North Caucasus and Central Asia, were eliminated. 104 militants were injured,” Rudskoi said.
The desroyed HQ most likely belonging to the Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham terrorist coalition led by Jabhat Fatah al-Sham formerly known as Jabhat Al-Nusra. Since 2016, the Al-Qaeda linked “moderate opposition” group has made a series of attempts to hide its terrorist essence, making two rebranding campaigns. Initially, Jabhat Al-Nusra changed its name to Jabhat Fatah al-Sham. Later, it obsorbed a number of other groups operating in the province of Idlib and declared a creation of the coalition named Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham.
