A footage screengrab of a Russian Su-34 jet bombing terrorists in Syria, provided by the Russian Defense Ministry on August 18, 2016.

MOSCOW, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- About 120 Islamic State (IS) militants and more than 60 foreign mercenaries in Syria were killed in airstrikes launched by Russia over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said Saturday.

The Russian airstrikes destroyed an IS strongpoint at the town of Albu Kamal near the Syrian-Iraqi border, killing about 40 militants from Tajikistan and Iraq, said the ministry's spokesman Igor Konashenkov in a statement.

Russian jets bombed an IS command post, eliminating about 80 militants in the town of Mayadeen in Deir al-Zour province, one of the terrorist group's last footholds in Syria.

In the Euphrates Valley south of Deir al-Zour, Russian air force killed more than 60 foreign mercenaries from the Commonwealth of Independence States, Tunisia and Egypt.

In addition, Konashenkov confirmed the deaths of three IS field commanders in recent Russian air attacks in Syria, including senior leader Abu Omar al-Shishani.