MOSCOW, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- A Russian soldier, described as a military adviser, was killed in Syria, the Russian government said Thursday.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the soldier was not involved in combat operations in Syria, but did not disclose his name or rank. Russian media reported he was killed in the city of Salma, near the Syrian-Turkish border, which Syrian troops captured in January. A statement from the Russian Defense Ministry said the soldier was killed Monday in a mortar attack by Islamic State forces.