Daesh militants have killed 51 Syrian troops besieged in an air base in the northern province of Aleppo this month, activists to Reuters Monday.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government airstrikes were being conducted against Daesh targets in the area in a bid to stall the advance of the militants.
The Observatory said 40 of those killed during two separate attacks on Kweiris air base east of Aleppo were officers, Reuters reported.
During the attacks, one from August 9-12, the other that began two days ago, Daesh militants used car bombs in an attempt to dislodge government forces who have long been besieged by the extremist group.
The Observatory also said fighting around the airbase had killed at least 62 militants.
Relatives of the besieged soldiers were reportedly rallying dozens of people in the coastal government stronghold of Latakia in demonstrations urging the government to end the siege, Reuters reported.
