Russia says systematically bombing militants fleeing Syria's Raqqa

MOSCOW -- Russia said on Thursday it was systematically bombing any Islamic State militants trying to flee Syria's Raqqa and had carried out two such bombing runs in the last week.

It said Russian planes had destroyed a militant convoy headed for Palmyra from Raqqa on May 25, and had bombed three other convoys late on May 29 and in the early hours of May 30.

"Islamic State's losses included more than 80 terrorists, 36 vehicles, eight fuel tankers, and 17 pickup trucks mounted with mortars and machine guns," the ministry said in a statement.

"Any attempts by Islamic State militants to leave Raqqa in the direction of Palmyra will be harshly stopped. The Russian air force in Syria has the firepower and means to effectively destroy terrorists at any time of the day or night," it said.