Russian soldiers among 35 killed

At least 26 Syrian regime forces and nine Russian fighters were killed in an Islamic State group attack earlier this week in Syria's eastern desert, a monitor said yesterday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the jihadists had targeted a group of Syrian and allied Russian fighters near the town of Mayadeen in Deir Ezzor province on Wednesday.

"There were 35 pro-government forces killed, including at least nine Russians. Some of those Russian nationals were government troops, but not all of them," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.

The remaining 26 were all Syrian forces, he told AFP.

The Russian military is backing Syria's army with air strikes and troops, but there are also widespread reports of private Russian mercenaries on the ground.

The defence ministry in Moscow yesterday said four Russian servicemen had been killed in clashes with militants in Deir Ezzor.

It did not give a date or precise location, but the Observatory said it was the same incident as the IS attack near Mayadeen.

The ministry said the fighting lasted around an hour and left 43 militants dead.