December 7, 2018 - 14:22 AMT
Nearly 80 Islamic State militants, SDF fighters killed in Deir ez-Zor

Dozens of fighters from the Islamic State group and U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have been killed in and around the key town of Hajin in southeast Deir ez-Zor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Friday, December 7 morning, Al-Masdar News says.

According to the SOHR report, approximately 80 fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces and Islamic State have been killed over the last four days at the Hajin front.

Of the nearly 80 fighters killed in the last four days, at least 25 were killed as a result of Thursday's clashes in the northern districts of Hajin.

The death toll will likely double in the coming days as the battle reaches the town-center of Hajin.