Three Russian troops were killed in a gunfight with terrorists in Syria in late February, the Defense Ministry has said. A gang of 30 militants responsible for the attack has since been identified and eliminated.

The Russian servicemen were returning to base in a car after a humanitarian aid delivery in the Deir ez-Zor Province when they were ambushed by a group of gunmen. “After the battle that broke out, the troops were missing in action,” the ministry said in a statement.

The search for the troops, which the Syrian military also took part in, started right after their disappearance. The fighters who organized the attack were eventually identified and the death of Russian soldiers was confirmed.

The group of 30 militants was then eliminated in an operation involving the Russian jets and Special Forces, the Defense Ministry said.

The bodies of the slain servicemen have already been delivered to Russia, where they’ll be buried.

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