The army of the new Syrian government, formed from former rebel factions, has used Mi-24 attack helicopters in battle for the first time, engaging forces loyal to the former Assad regime.

They were accompanied by a Russian fighter jet.

Footage of the engagement was published by local residents, showing at least one Mi-24 helicopter firing unguided rockets at unidentified targets.

The fighting erupted again in early March in the coastal province of Latakia, where the new Syrian government launched its first airstrikes against remnants of pro-Assad forces, largely drawn from the deposed dictator’s Alawite minority.

In response, the Russian military scrambled fighter jets, presumably to monitor airspace and protect its regional assets. Russia’s Khmeimim airbase is located nearby.

The Aviation of the New Syrian Government

Militarnyi previously reported that former Syrian rebels from the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham group had begun assembling an air units.

Technicians and specialists started repairing aircraft at captured military bases following Israeli airstrikes targeting Syrian airfields and military depots. The strikes were aimed at destroying arms stockpiles and Syrian armed forces equipment.

Photographs taken by Syrian journalist Aaref Watad suggest that Istamo Airbase in Latakia province remained intact. The images show a fleet of helicopters, with some appearing to be operational.

Up to two dozen Soviet-made aircraft are parked at the airfield, including multi-role Mi-14 and Ka-27 helicopters, as well as Mi-24 attack helicopters.

The activity of Russian tactical aviation in the region is also not new. A few days earlier, France accused a Russian Su-35 fighter jet of dangerous maneuvers near its Reaper UAV in the Mediterranean Sea. The jet took off from a base in Syria.

“On Sunday, a Russian Su-35 fighter jet carried out dangerous actions against a French Reaper UAV that was conducting a reconnaissance mission in international airspace over the eastern Mediterranean,” said French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu.

According to Lecornu, the Russian jet made three close passes, which could have caused the loss of control of the UAV.