The casualties came during four days of clashes between militants belonging to the terrorist groups, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and al-Qaeda affiliate al-Nusra Front in Syria’s eastern province of Deir al-Zor.

According to reports, the Takfiri militant group al-Nusra Front has taken over control of the town of Abreeha from the ISIL.

The infighting between the terrorist groups has also forced over 60,000 Syrian people to flee their homes in the towns of Abreeha, al-Busayrah and al-Zir.

Rival militant groups in Syria have lately been engaged in fierce fighting among themselves.

The infighting has escalated in the past months amid gains by the Syrian army across the country.

The Syrian government says its troops are going ahead with their operations to push out the foreign-backed militants from residential areas across the country.

Syria has been gripped by deadly violence since March 2011. According to some sources, more than 160,000 people have been killed and millions displaced due to the violence fueled by the foreign-backed militants.

According to reports, the Western powers and their regional allies - especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey - are supporting the militants operating inside Syria.

BA/BA