DAMASCUS, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army has launched a massive assault to clear the Islamic State (IS) militant group from the desert region in the southern province of Sweida, local media and activists reported Monday.
The assault came days after the IS launched deadly attacks on the province.
State news agency SANA said the army forces were deployed on all frontlines toward the desert region in the eastern countryside of Sweida, in tandem with airstrikes and artillery shelling on the positions of the terror-designated group.
Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the army started its broad battle in the desert on Sunday evening.
The London-based watchdog also said the army is making progress amid fears for the lives of 30 hostages abducted by the IS during a surprise attack on July 25.
Negotiations between the IS and the Syrian forces are still going on over the release of the hostages in exchange for a safe passage for dozens of IS militants trapped in the countryside of Daraa near Sweida, it added.
The IS, however, executed the first hostage on Thursday, causing fears for the safety of the rest of the hostages.
