Military Source Rejects Operating S300 Air Defense System by Syrian Army to Counter Recent Raids

The Arabic-language website of Sputnik quoted the high-ranking sources as reporting that the air defense units intercepted most of the enemy's intruding missiles without using S300 air defense missile system last night.

It went on to say that advanced SAM missiles and other types of high precise air defense weapons were used to intercept the intruding missiles.

The army's air defense units counter a fresh heavy wave of air attacks over Quneitra, Southwestern Damascus and Western Dara'a, intercepting most of the missiles.

On September 17, the Russian Il-20 aircraft with 15 servicemen on board vanished from radar screens near Humeimim Airbase in Syria. According to the Russian ministry of defense, the disappearance coincided with an attack by four Israeli F-16 military jets on Syrian targets in the province of Lattakia.

The defense ministry stressed that the Israeli Air Force used the Russian reconnaissance plane as a cover, thus subjecting it to an attack by the Syrian air defenses, with a Syrian S-200 surface-to-air missile hitting the Russian Il-20 while trying to repel Israeli strikes. Israel, for its part, insisted that Syria was responsible for the downing and that by the time the plane was destroyed, the four F-16 were already on their way home.

Message end/