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DAMASCUS, SYRIA (11:40 P.M.) – This evening, Russia unleashed its fiercest bombardment on northern Hama as airstrikes completely obliterated a number of rebel-held positions in the towns of Souran, Taibat Al-Imam, Halfaya and Lataminah.

A military source told Al-Masdar News that the air raids were conducted by a total of five Russian warplanes and two choppers that continuously returned to pound the Islamist strongholds with barely minutes in-between.

At least 50 Russian sorties were conducted beginning on Saturday morning, utilizing what appears to be a previously unused type of bomb, causing massive destruction in its wake.

The Russian bombardment is supposedly retalition for a massacre commited by an unknown rebel faction that killed over 75 Shi’ite civilians whom were in the process of being evacuated from Fuah, a government enclave on the outskirts of Idlib city.

Souran, Halfaya and Taibat Al-Imam are expected to be the target of an upcoming Syrian Arab Army (SAA) ground offensive. Notably, Latamineh witnessed the most intense bombardment today; this town has long served as a gathering point for jihadist fighters to launch attacks on government-held areas of Hama province.