Syria air strikes: Assad government soldiers allegedly killed by coalition in Deir al Zour

Four Syrian soldiers have been killed by coalition air strikes in Syria, a monitoring group told Reuters. The strikes hit a Syrian army position in Deir al Zour province, which is mostly controlled by Islamic State (Isis).

The strike hit the Saeqa military camp near the town of Ayyash in the western part of the province, wounding 13 military personnel, monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. A government source told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti that 16 military personnel had been destroyed and two tanks damaged in the raid. A Syrian government source confirmed the death figures to Reuters.

It is believed to be the first time Syrian government forces have been killed in a coalition air strike in Syria. IS (Daesh) seized much of the province after a massive offensive in December 2014. The province contains oil fields which have been a major source of revenue for the group, and coalition air strikes have frequently targeted its positions there.