Russian lieutenant dies in E. Syria of mortar shelling

By Emre Aytekin

ANKARA

A Russian lieutenant-general died Sunday near Deir ez-Zour in Syria as a result of mortar shelling by Daesh militants, according to Russia’s defense ministry’s statement.

"Lieutenant-General V. Asapov was at the command post of the Syrian troops, assisting the Syrian commanders in the management of the operation to liberate the city of Deir ez Zor," TASS news agency quoted from a statement.

The statement also said that Valeriy Asapov was mortally wounded by a sudden mortar shelling by Daesh fighters.

The Syrian war has arguably reached a critical juncture when the shrinking territorial control of Daesh urges new attempts at political dialogue. The Syrian army has broken the siege of Deir Ez-Zour after its three-year blockade and is now pushing back against Daesh.

The Russian military claims that Bashar al-Assad has won 85 percent of the Syrian territory back from extremist groups.