MOSCOW — The latest on news from Russian officials that a passenger jet was brought down over Egypt by an explosive device. (All times local.)
DETAILS: 34 cruise missiles launched on terrorists’ targets in Syria https://t.co/2bmQACnfF7 pic.twitter.com/EzYgHLgQUO
— RT (@RT_com) November 17, 2015
3:45 p.m.
Two U.S. defense officials say Russia has attacked Raqqa, the Islamic State group’s self-declared capital in Syria, with cruise missiles and bombs on Tuesday.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss non-U.S. military operations. They provided no details on targets or the scale or outcome of the attacks.
#Russia also rpt fired cruise missiles from Med – prob Kalibr from Black Sea Flt new prj 636.3 Kilo submarine #Syria pic.twitter.com/BW6FZ75bNy
— Joseph Dempsey (@JosephHDempsey) November 17, 2015
One of the officials said the Russians gave the U.S. prior notification of the attacks by communicating with the U.S.-led coalition’s air operations center at al-Udeid air base in Qatar. The official said this was in accordance with protocols worked out by U.S. and Russian officials in October.
On Tuesday, Russia’s security service said a homemade explosive device brought down a passenger plane over Egypt last month that killed 224 people, calling it a “terrorist” act. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for downing the airliner.
–By Robert Burns in Washington.
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1:55 p.m.
Russia’s FSB security service has offered a $50 million reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for downing a passenger plane over Egypt.
Brkng..RUSSIA using “both sea-based cruise missiles & long-range bombers” to pulverize ISIS! https://t.co/B3j2OdbVAU pic.twitter.com/2TDy1qhgnL
— Philip Schuyler (@FiveRights) November 17, 2015
FSB director Alexander Bortnikov announced Tuesday that a homemade explosive device had blown apart the aircraft and that it was now clear that it was a “terrorist” act.
The FSB later appealed to “Russian and international communities for cooperation in identifying the terrorists” and offered “50 million U.S. dollars” reward.
