YEREVAN, OCTOBER 13, ARMENPRESS. Russia’s Aerospace Forces have killed more than 30 terrorist ringleaders since the beginning of October, ARMENPRESS reports, citing TASS, the chief of the Main Operations Department of Russia’s General Staff, Sergey Rudskoy, said.

"Special attention was paid to destroying the heads of armed groups. Since early October, 31 of them have been killed," the general said.

According to the general, on October 3, the leader of Jabhat al-Nusra, Abu Mohammad al-Julani, was seriously wounded, and its security chief Ahmad al-Gizai and several field commanders were killed.

Rudskoi also said that Russian Aerospace Force had made 383 sorties near Deir ez-Zor over the past week and destroyed 993 targets of so-called Islamic State (a terrorist group banned in Russia).

"Over the past week, only near Deir ez-Zor warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Force have made 383 combat sorties and destroyed 993 targets of ISIS terrorists [former name of Islamic State - TASS]," he said.

Rudskoy added that three intensive missile and air strikes had hit terrorists’ vital facilities with air-to-surface cruise missiles Kh-101 launched from a TU-95 strategic bomber and Kalibr cruise missiles launched from submarines.

"Long-range precision weapons destroyed 37 targets, namely munitions depots, areas with a high concentration of militants and vehicles along with terrorists’ communication units and command centers," he added.

According to Rudskoi, less than eight percent of Syria’s territory is still controlled by Islamic State.

"As of today, an area of 14,800 square kilometers, or less than eight percent of the Syrian territory, is under control of Islamic State," he said.

According to Rudskoi, the Russian air force will continue its operation against militants of Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist groups until they are completely eliminated.