Russian long-range bombers struck Islamic State (IS) militant targets near the town of Albu Kamal in Syria's Deir al-Zor province on Friday, the Defence Ministry said in a statement reported by Russian news agencies .

The TU-22M3 bombers took off from bases in Russia and overflew Iran and Iraq before launching the strike, they said.

TASS cited the ministry as saying the planes had bombed IS fortified positions, militants, and armoured vehicles and that satellite and drone surveillance had confirmed that all of the designated targets had been destroyed.