DAMASCUS 20 Apr (ANA) - Islamic State militants have killed 35 Syrian pro-government forces in desert attacks in recent days, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says.

The UK-based monitoring group says the militants attacked in Homs and Deir al-Zour provinces.

IS media has spoken about the alleged attacks, but Syrian officials have not confirmed them. 

It comes weeks after reports some IS militants had fled into the desert from Baghuz - their last stronghold.

The area was declared "freed" by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on 23 March. 

Although the declaration marked the last territorial victory over the group's caliphate, experts warn it does not mean the end of IS or its ideology.

Thousands of fighters and their families captured from Baghuz, including foreign nationals, remain in camps nearby.(ANA)

FA/ANA/20 April 2019------