The Islamic State fighters have released some of the cement plant workers they have kidnapped since Wednesday. ISIL's Amaq news agency said the group freed nearly 300 workers, but had executed four of them for being from the Druze minority.

According to Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, local municipality officials in two nearby towns managed to secure an agreement for ISIL to release 170 workers. The Syrian government forces say most workers have been released, with 110 of them arriving at a govenrment stronghold.

ISIL seized the workers, after launching an attack on Syrian government forces in the area where the cement plant is located, near the town of Dumeir.