Syrian opposition groups yesterday shot down two reconnaissance planes belonging to the Russian Air Force in Idlib and Latakia countryside in northern Syria.

Axar.az reports citing foreign media that Syrian military sources said opposition groups shot down a Russian reconnaissance plane by air defence system over Harsh Binin in the eastern sector of Jabal Al-Zawiya in Idlib’s southern countryside.

According to the sources, another Russian reconnaissance plane was also shot down in Latakia’s northern countryside.

Russian reconnaissance planes have intensified their missions in the Jabal Al-Zawiya region, the Al-Ghab plain, and the mountains of Al-Akrad and Turkmen in Latakia’s countryside.

Syrian regime forces and Iran have escalated their artillery and missile strikes on Latakia and Idlib countryside in parallel with military build-ups in the area.

It is unclear which groups are behind the attacks.