Russia sends 175 engineers to defuse mines in Syria's Deir al-Zour

DAMASCUS, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Russia will send 175 de-mining engineers to defuse mines in Syria's Deir al-Zour, local media reported on Monday.

The first detachment of 40 de-miners has already been deployed to Russia's Hmeimim air base in Syria, the report said.

Syrian government forces and U.S.-backed militias converged on Islamic State in separate offensives against the militants in the eastern Syrian province of Deir al-Zour on Sunday.