MOSCOW, August 8. /TASS/. /TASS/. Syria’s Air Force attacked on Tuesday a convoy of terrorists of the Islamic State group (outlawed in Russia) in the southern Al-Suwayda governorate killing more than 70 militants, the SANA news agency said.

The pilots destroyed military equipment and vehicles and several trucks with weapons and ammunition. The strikes were carried out against the terrorists’ targets in Qabr al-Sheikh in the Syrian Desert from where they attack civilians’ settlements.

On July 25, the Islamic State group took more than 40 people hostage in the village of Al-Shabki, including 14 women and 16 children from the Druze community. The terrorists threaten to kill them and executed one of the hostages last week.

During the large-scale operation against the IS strongholds, which was launched on August 6, the Syrian forces regained control over seven areas in the north, east and south of the Al-Suwayda governorate. They repelled fierce counterattacks of terrorists in Al-Hosn and Ard al Qara.

The Syrian government forces along with several units of the armed opposition and militias are fighting for an important stronghold in Shannan Al-Asfar. According to SANA, the military operation switched to a decisive phase after elite units had been deployed from Damascus. Its goal is to eliminate terrorists in the Al-Suwayda governorate and the Syrian Desert.