Russian frigate in the Mediterranean Sea fires salvo of Kalibr missiles at Daesh terrorists in Syrian city of Dayr al-Zawr

This file image shows Russian navy frigates firing missiles during Russia’s Navy Day celebration, in Sevastopol, Crimea, on July 30, 2017. (By AFP)

A Russian frigate in the Mediterranean Sea has fired a salvo of Kalibr cruise missiles at militants near the western Syrian city of Dayr al-Zawr.

The frigate Admiral Essen of the Russian Black Sea fleet fired the missiles on Tuesday morning, a statement by the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The barrage destroyed a communications center, weapons depots, and a repair workshop used by the Daesh terrorists, the statement said.

The targeted militants were mainly from Russia and countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

“The missile strikes supported the advance of Syrian government forces, and have foiled the plans of the ISIL militants to regroup and strengthen terrorist positions near the city of Dayr al-Zawr,” the statement said, using an English acronym to refer to Daesh.

'US-led coalition hindering Dayr al-Zawr op.'

Separately, the operations command for allied forces in Syria says a US-led coalition carrying out a bombardment campaign in the country is the main reason behind a delay in the recapture of Dayr al-Zawr.

The command orchestrates and coordinates the military efforts by the Syrian army and its allies against terrorists countrywide.

This US Navy photo, obtained on July 29, 2017, shows an airman aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in the Persian Gulf on July 26, 2017. (Via AFP)

Syria’s War Media on Tuesday cited the command as accusing the coalition of plotting against Syrian troops and intentionally bombing them to tilt the balance on the battleground in favor of terrorists.

The US-led coalition, which launched its operations in Syria in 2015, says its goal is to bomb the Takfiri terrorist group of Daesh.

Over the past months, the coalition has reportedly transferred Daesh ringleaders to other locations for unidentified reasons, it said, adding that Daesh terrorists seized by the army had confessed to the alliance between the outfit and the US-led forces.

Last Friday, the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights group said the US had conducted 10 heliborne operations, transferring Daesh elements.

The most recent of the operations, it said, saw three helicopters carrying out an airlift in al-Sawh District in Dayr al-Zawr’s western suburbs last Wednesday. Citing informed sources, the group said the US had been moving mercenaries as the Syrian army and their allies were closing in on Dayr al-Zawr.

Last week, the Russian Defense Ministry named Dayr al-Zawr as “the last stronghold of the international terrorists on Syrian soil.”

Russia has been lending aerial support to Syria’s military operations since September 2015.