DAMASCUS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic State (IS) released six hostages taken in the southern province of Sweida, state news agency SANA reported Saturday.
The released hostages include two women and four children who had been captured by the IS militants during an offensive at dawn of July 25.
Altogether 30 people were taken hostages at the time, three of whom had died while in captivity.
Citing the governor of Sweida, Amer al-Ashi, SANA said the release of the first batch of hostages came as a result of the tight siege imposed by the Syrian Army on IS militants in the Tulol al-Safa hills in the eastern countryside of Sweida.
He noted that the rest will be set free soon.