Russia confirmed on Thursday that one of its officers has been killed in Syria's Turkmen mountain, in Latakia province in northwest Syria, the first time that Moscow has admitted one of its soldiers has died in a ground attack since it began a military campaign in Syria last year.
Opposition sources told Turkey's Anadolu agency that 15 pro-Assad military officials were killed, including four Russian generals. The anonymous source identified one of the officers as "Yuri," and was reportedly coordinating attacks in Turkmen mountain.
However, Russia's Defense Ministry has only confirmed the death of one Russian officer and Syria, and did not identify him by name.
The statement issued by the Russian Defense Ministry said the officer was in Syria for "military consultancy on use of weapons" and was killed Feb. 1 on a military post controlled by the Assad government.
The statement also blamed Daesh for the attack, although another opposition group, the Northern Division, claimed responsibility for the officer's death in a statement on Wednesday: “We will continue our war against the criminal Assad regime and all who are loyal to it among Russians and Iranians and we will continuously undertake such attacks until the last attacker leaves our soil.”
The Northern Division rebel group is backed by Turkey, as well as Arab and Western governments.
Moscow maintains that it is targeting Daesh with its airstrikes in Syria, although critics say Russian strikes have focused on any rebel groups seeking to oust Bashar al-Assad, and have also left many civilians dead and vulnerable to further attacks.
