58 Syria government fighters killed in Islamic State attacks: Monitor

Beirut: The Islamic State group killed at least 58 Syrian government troops and militia as the jihadists put up fierce resistance to a Russian-backed offensive against some of its last bastions, a monitor said Friday.

Most of Thursday`s dead came south of the desert town of Sukna, east of the ancient city of Palmyra, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

IS put out a statement claiming to have killed scores of regime fighters in the area.