Syria Air Defenses Target Suspected Drones over Russia Base
Syria state media is reporting that the country's air defense systems have destroyed three "hostile" targets in the country's coastal region over a Russian air base.
The Britain-based monitoring Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says explosions heard Sunday resulted from the air defense systems intercepting suspected attacking drones, which had previously targeted the Russian air base in Latakia province.
Militants in nearby Idlib province last launched an armed drone toward the base in November violating a cease-fire in place two months earlier.
But the Russian-Turkey sponsored cease-fire has in recent days has seen increasing violations after radical al-Qaida-linked militants pushed out other armed groups, effectively seizing control of the area home to nearly 3 million civilians. Russia complained last week al-Qaida-linked group's hold increasingly threatened its air base.
