Damascus, May 13 (IANS): At least 28 Syrian soldiers and 20 Islamic State (IS) militants were killed during intense clashes in Syria's central province of Homs, a monitor group reported on Wednesday.

The battles flared near al-Shaer gas field and other areas in the eastern countryside of Homs, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The UK-based watchdog group said the IS militants were advancing in the town of Sukhneh, adding that 100 fighters from both sides were wounded in the battles.

Violent clashes also erupted around military checkpoints near the town of Sukhneh and Hajjaneh military post, as well as Syrian officers' housing units east of Palmira in the Homs countryside, Xinhua news agency reported citing the observatory.

The clashes were coupled with airstrikes carried out by Syrian air force on the militants around al-Shaer gas field.

Meanwhile, the state news agency SANA said Syrian warplanes destroyed many positions of the IS group north of Palmira and Sukkar valley in the countryside of Homs.

The Syrian troops also killed many IS terrorists in the countryside of the southern province of Sawaida.