Russia ramps up aerial campaign with its first raids on Syria's south
Russia appears to have carried out strikes in southern Syria's Daraa province for the first time in an apparent ramping up of its aerial campaign, say reports.  The area targeted is controlled by an array of opposition groups including Al-Nusra Front.  This move comes as EU Foreign Policy Chief, Federica Mogherini, issued a warning that Russia risks being trapped in a repeat of the doomed Afghan war unless it quickly seeks a political solution in Syria.   

GETTY•IG Russia has launched airstrikes in a new part of Syria

The airstrikes hit targets in the Tel al-Harah area of the Deraa province in the war-torn country late on Wednesday night, according to both a monitoring organisation and a rebel group. If confirmed to be Russian, the latest hit would be the furthest south Vladimir Putin has sent jets in almost a month of air strikes against the twisted terror group.

Bashar al-Zoubi, head of the political office of the Yarmouk Army which operates in the Deraa area, said the airstrikes are "most probably Russian". He added that the Syrian air force did not conduct night time raids.

GETTY Vladimir Putin has denied conducting bombing raids in Syria to prop up president Bashar al-Asaad

GOOGLE The latest airstrike took place in the Deraa, or Daraa, province of Syria

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IG Islamic State (ISIS) currently has control of large swathes of land in both Iraq and Syria