Damascus, Sep 10 (IANS): Syrian war jets carried out airstrikes Wednesday against extremist armed militant groups in the country's eastern province of Deir al-Zour, killing at least three rebels, the opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported.

The airstrikes targeted positions of a radical group that had recently pledged alliance to the Islamic State (IS) Sunni extremist group in al-Hwaika and al-Ardi neighbourhoods in the oil-rich province of Deir al-Zour, Xinhua reported citing SOHR.

It added that three civilians were also killed in the airstrikes.

On Tuesday, 36 people, including 16 rebel fighters, were killed when the Syrian air force targeted rebels' positions in the eastern countryside of the capital Damascus, according to SOHR.

The Syrian troops have been deadlocked in weeks-long intense battles with the armed militants in the eastern countryside of the capital Damascus. The military is also engaged in battles with the IS and like-minded groups in eastern and northern parts of the war-torn country.