BEIRUT: A drone strike on Monday killed at least eight members of the powerful Hezbollah militia in Syria, where the Lebanese group is fighting alongside the regime, a Britain-based monitor said.

An unidentified "drone hit a Hezbollah position near the town of Sukhna (in central Homs province) killing eight fighters, and injuring more than 20," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor.

A source on the ground confirmed the strike, giving a toll of seven dead from Hezbollah, and said it was still unclear who had carried out the attack.

Hezbollah is a key force multiplier for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and has fought alongside his troops across the country against rebel forces.

Assad's forces and allied fighters are currently waging a campaign in Syria's vast Badiya desert region against the Islamic State group.

The campaign backed by Assad ally Russia has captured large swathes of territory from the jihadists, but they have launched deadly counterattacks on regime positions.

On Sunday, IS fighters recaptured the town of Al-Qaryatain in Homs province, which regime forces took from the group in April 2016 after eight months of jihadist control.

More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.—AFP