Russia says changing make-up of Syria strike force - agencies

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian Defence Ministry said on Thursday it had started changing the make-up of its strike force in Syria as part of a previously announced partial drawdown, Russian news agencies reported.

The ministry was cited as saying that the first six SU-24 bombers had already been withdrawn, but that four SU-25 ground attack aircraft had flown out to Russia's Hmeymim air base in Latakia province as part of a planned rotation.