Russia claims 456 'IS targets' in Syria hit since start of bombing

Russia has hit more than 456 Islamic State group targets since launching its bombing campaign in Syria on September 30, a high-ranking military official said on Friday.

 "Since the Russian air force went into action on September 30, we made 669 combat sorties," Colonel General Andrei Kartapolov, a senior Russian General Staff official said in a defence ministry statement.

 "In the strikes, 456 targets have been destroyed," he said. "According to the General Staff, we were able to significantly disrupt the militants' infrastructure, supply and control systems of the terrorist groups."

 Russia launched a bombing campaign in Syria in support of its longstanding ally President Bashar al-Assad, but it has been criticised by the West for hitting moderate groups rather than Islamic State jihadists.

 Kartapolov said the air force is avoiding areas where the Free Syrian Army -- the main Western-backed opposition force -- is believed to be operating.

 "We only hit targets of internationally-recognised terrorist groups. Our planes are not working in southern Syria, where, according to our information, the Free Syrian Army groups are located," he said.

 Moscow's military has systematically claimed its strikes have hit Islamic State group targets despite the fact that many of the sites struck seem to fall outside territory held by the group.