Syrian troops kill tens of jihadis

Syrian government forces killed tens of jihadis Monday in several cities of the country, according to media reports.

The army killed over 30 Islamic State (IS) militants in the town of Muraia, in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, the reports said. The town is close to the contested airbase of Deir al-Zour.

The military forces also killed tens of "terrorists", some of whom were Saudis and Libyans in the countryside of the northwestern province of Idlib, Xinhua reported, citing SANA.

The Al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front and like-minded groups had recently captured two military bases in the countryside of Idlib and have been reportedly eying the Abu al-Duhur airbase in northeastern Idlib.

The airbase has been besieged by the rebels for two years and has been subject to shelling, activists said.

Meanwhile, the pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV said eight IS fighters were killed and 12 others wounded when security forces targeted their positions in the barren areas of the al-Qalamoun region, north of the Syrian capital of Damascus and bordering Lebanon.

The IS has been engaged in battles against the Free Syrian Army in al-Qalamoun, after the later refused to pledge allegiance to the IS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Over 190,000 people have been killed and millions of others displaced as a result of the Syrian crisis, which has become more complicated with radical groups capitalising on the chaotic situation to achieve territorial gains.