Moscow: Senior military advisor killed in Syria

A Russian military adviser was killed by mortar fire in Syria two days ago, the Russian Defence Ministry said Wednesday.

The ministry said the officer was fatally wounded on Monday by mortar shelling from Daesh near the countryside of Latakia, north of Syria.

However, Syrian opposition sources said 15 military officials, including eight Russian army officers and a high-ranking Syrian army officer, were killed after the Syrian opposition targeted their meeting place on Tuesday.

The sources told Anadolu news agency that the high-level military meeting took place on Tuesday evening in an “unnamed” place between the town of Salma and Dweirkah village. The opposition forces carried out the attack after learning of the meeting place, the sources said.

According to the sources, a Russian military operations coordinator in Mount Turkmen named Yuri was killed in the attack.

Fierce clashes are ongoing in Latakia countryside between the Syrian regime forces backed by Russian air cover and the Syrian moderate opposition groups.