For the first time since their arrival in Syria, the Russian Air Force launched a series of airstrikes above the Aleppo Governorate’s eastern countryside, targeting the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham’s (ISIS) positions along the Deir Hafer-Aleppo Highway while the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) attacks the terrorist group on the ground.

On Thursday morning, the Syrian Arab Army – in coordination with the National Defense Forces (NDF) – conducted a powerful assault on ISIS’ positions at ‘Ayn Sabl, resulting in their capture of the southwestern perimeter of this town that is located to the east of Tal Rayman and Al-Salihiyah.

Assisting the Syrian Armed Forces from above was none other than the Russian Air Force, as they reportedly struck ISIS’ positions in east Aleppo with remarkable precision and relentless ferocity; these airstrikes also marked the first time that Russia physically participated in this four year long Syrian Conflict.

The Russian Air Force was also seen flying above the Rif Dimashq, Latakia and Hama Governorates, on Thursday morning, but all of their jets reportedly returned back to the Hmamiyat Military Airport in the Syrian coastal city of Jableh.

According to a senior officer in the Syrian Arab Army, these Russian airstrikes were coordinated with the Syrian Arab Air Force (SAAF), who launched their own raids along the Raqqa-Deir Ezzor Highway.