Russia slashes Syria military flights

MOSCOW: Russia has cut its military flights in Syria from more than 100 per day to fewer than four a week, the defence minister said Tuesday, in another sign the country´s conflict is winding down.

Russia launched air strikes in Syria in support of long-term ally President Bashar al-Assad in September 2015. Russian support helped Assad´s forces reclaim swathes of territory once in the hands of opposition fighters and Islamic extremists.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told an annual meeting of top brass that Russia´s air force had seen a drastic reduction in the number of sorties in Syria. "Flights have been reduced from 100-110 per day to two to four sorties per week, mainly for additional reconnaissance," Shoigu said, without giving a specific time frame for the reduction.