A Russian security services officer was killed on assignment in the Islamic State-controlled city of Palmyra, Syria, a Russian military spokesman was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying on Thursday.
The officer was directing air strikes against IS targets, the spokesman said, Interfax reported.
“The serviceman died heroically, drawing fire on himself after he was found by terrorists and surrounded,” the spokesman was quoted by Interfax as saying.
The officer was the sixth Russian serviceman killed in Syria, according to the official tally cited by Interfax.
Islamic State is a terrorist organization banned in Russia.
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