Russian strikes destroy IS command post in Syria: official

Russian air strikes destroyed an Islamic State command post near Raqa among other targets, the defence ministry said today, as Moscow pressed on with its bombing campaign in Syria.

"Over the past 24 hours SU-34 and SU-24M jets of the Russian airborne formation in Syria made more than 20 sorties over nine Islamic State infrastructure facilities," the defence ministry said.

SU-34 fighters jet dropped a concrete busting BETAB-500 bomb on a command post in the area of IS stronghold Raqa, releasing video of the strike.

"A powerful explosion in the bunker means that it was also used by terrorists to store a large amount of ammunition," the defence ministry said in a statement.

SU-24 bombers also destroyed a warehouse that stored ammunition in the mountains near the city of Jisr al-Shughur in Idlib province in northwestern Syria.

The warehouse was completely destroyed, the ministry said, referring to a "huge cloud of smoke and crater" following the strikes.

SU-34 fighter jets also targeted a training camp belonging to the Islamic State group near the town of Maaret al-Numan in Idlib province and destroyed ammunition and equipment, the ministry said.

Russian unmanned aerial vehicles continue to monitor the areas under control of the Islamic State group, the statement said.

"All the targets get destroyed quickly, irrespective of weather conditions and time of the day."

Russia on Wednesday launched air strikes in Syria, its first major military engagement outside the former Soviet Union since the occupation of Afghanistan in 1979.

Washington has accused Russia of striking moderate rebels fighting against the embattled Syrian president under cover of a claimed assault on IS militants.

US President Barack Obama warned yesterday that Moscow's aggressive military campaign in Syria was a "recipe for disaster.