MOD: Russian Military Plane Disappears during “Israeli” Strikes on Latakia

Local Editor

A Russian military Il-20 aircraft with 14 service members on board went off the radars during an aggression by four “Israeli” jets on Syria’s Latakia province, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Air traffic controllers at the Hmeymim Air Base “lost contact” with the aircraft on Monday evening, during the attack of “Israeli” F-16 fighters on Latakia, said the MOD. The plane was 35 kilometers off the coast of Syria when it vanished.

Russian radars also registered the launch of missiles from a French frigate in the Mediterranean on the evening of September 17.

“The French Navy’s newest frigate, FS Auvergne, fired rockets around 8pm GMT Monday, the Russian military said. “Airspace control has recorded rocket launches from the French frigate Auvergne,” the ministry’s statement read. The Auvergne is deployed in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Syria.

Fourteen people were on board the plane at the time of the disappearance. A search and rescue mission is underway.

An hour-long attack on Latakia began around 10 pm local time, and targeted a power station as well as two facilities belonging to the Syrian military. Syrian officials said the attack was “foreign” and came “from the sea”.

Seven people were injured in the attack, according to Syrian officials.

The attack on Latakia came just hours after Russia and Turkey negotiated a partial demilitarization of the Idlib province, which is the last remaining stronghold of anti-government militants, including the Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team