Syrian troops kill 23,000 militants in 2018, says Russian General Staff

Syrian troops in 2018 killed 23,000 militants in Syria, Head of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov said on Wednesday at a briefing for foreign military attaches.

According to him, Syrian government troops, who had gained considerable combat experience under the leadership of Russian military advisers, successfully carried out operations to take control of the Eastern Ghouta, Homs and southern de-escalation zones.

"At the same time, more than 23,000 militants have been destroyed. Also, 387 settlements have been freed from radical Islamists," Gerasimov said.