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ISIS militants are cowering before the ferocity of Russia's anger following the downing of one of their jets by Turkish forces, according to a source in war-torn Syria.

Russia yesterday started stepped up its bombing campaign on Syrian rebels in the area close to where one of its fighter jets was shot down by Turkey.

This furious air campaign, joined by American and French warplanes, has ISIS cowering in regions they once strutted around with impunity.

A resident of the ISIS stronghold of Raqqa, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "Many of the fighters, and also the religious police, are starting to get nervous.

"They think your drones can tell who Da'esh (a derogatory Arabic term for ISIS) is, by who is carrying the guns.

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(Image: ABACA/Press Association Images)

"Some of them even refuse to carry their guns in daylight. They try to dress more like civilians, they don't wear the military outfits that some of the da'eshbags (a common insult comprised of Da'esh and the American 'douchebag') wear.

"They don't travel in convoys in the city much either.

"They are even too nervous to carry out executions in front of large crowds. Everyone is afraid they will become a target for the F16s.

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(Image: Reuters)

"Against the civilians they are very brave, but when there are western fighter jets and bombers in the sky, they are cowards."

Missiles have been fired from Russian warships in the Mediterranean and fighters jets have also been launching raids in Syria's Latakia province.

At least 12 air strikes hit Latakia's northern countryside, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

A Turkmen commander said missiles fired from Russian warships in the Mediterranean were also hitting the area, as well as heavy artillery shelling.