DAMASCUS, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Ten people were killed and 28 others wounded on Wednesday while they were fleeing a city under the control of the Islamic State (IS) in Syria's eastern province of Deir al-Zour, state news agency SANA reported.
The deaths occurred when land mines, planted by IS, ripped through three cars carrying people fleeing the city of Bukamal in the countryside of Deir al-Zour, said SANA.
The civilians were trying to reach the northeastern province of Hasakah, said SANA, adding that the bodies of the casualties were taken to the Hikmeh hospital in Hasakah.
The state news agency, however, stopped short of giving details on how the bodies reached Hasakah.
The wounded range in age of between 20 and 27, including a three-year-old girl.
SANA said the IS militants opt to plant roadside bombs and mines to prevent people from fleeing areas under its control in Syria.
It's worth mentioning that the IS militants control large swathes of Deir al-Zour province and have been besieging the government-controlled parts of the city since 2015.
The Syrian government forces and allied Iranian-backed fighters are fighting intense battles in the central desert region in Syria, becoming close to the administrative borders of Deir al-Zour to break the IS siege and drive the terror-designated group of that key oil-rich province near the Iraqi border.
