KHANKALA. June 4 (Interfax-AVN) - Series of effective missile and bomb strikes were launched on sites of guerillas' concentration since the beginning of May, as spokesman for the headquarters of the Unified Federal Forces told Interfax-Military News Agency on Tuesday.
The spokesman said that more than 100 guerillas were destroyed as a result of the strikes, over half of them being foreign mercenaries.
The spokesman added that the efficiency of the strikes was increased due to availability of precise data on location of guerilla groups and their bases.
Some 60,000 sorties have been made by aircraft of the federal aviation since August 1999.
SU-25 Frogfoot ground attack aircraft account for more than 7.5 thousand sorties, SU-24 Fencer tactical bombers account for some 5.5 thousand sorties, more than 25 thousand sorties were made by MI-24 Hind attack helicopters. The rest of the sorties account for transportation and reconnaissance missions, the spokesman said.
He added that SU-24 Fencer bombers flew two sorties on Monday. In accordance with preliminary reports, the aircraft destroyed a relay station and a guerilla base. The bombers also blocked one of the mountain passages.
MI-24 helicopters were used to provide air support to four Army convoys, as well as to launch air strikes on small guerilla groups.
MI-8 Hip helicopters made three sorties to detect guerillas' concentration sites.