291 killed in clashes between Syrian army, IS in desert region: monitor
DAMASCUS, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Up to 291 Syrian soldiers and Islamic State (IS) militants have been killed in confrontations between the two sides since the beginning of this year, a war monitor reported on Friday night.
The death toll includes 136 members of IS killed by Russian airstrikes in desert regions of the provinces of Homs, Sweida, Hama, Raqqa Deir al-Zour and Aleppo, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.