Russia fires cruise missiles at IS militants, equipment in Syria

Sept. 14 (UPI) -- Russia's military fired several cruise missiles at Islamic State militants in eastern Syria on Thursday, Kremlin officials said.

Seven Kalibr missiles were fired from a pair of submarines in the Mediterranean Sea, Russia's defense ministry said.

The Russian government has aided Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in targeting the group, also known by the acronym ISIS, for two years.

"The strikes targeted control posts, communication centers as well as ammo and munitions storages in the ISIS controlled areas to the south-east from Deir ez-Zor," the agency said.

The ministry said the targets were destroyed.

Russia's strike on militants in the country comes on the heels of a controversial agreement to allow safe passage of IS fighters and their relatives from Lebanon across Syria.