Islamic State (IS) militants killed 20 rebels of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) overnight near Damascus, the pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV reported Thursday.

The IS executed the FSA fighters after capturing them in the eastern part of the al-Qalamoun region in the northern countryside of Damascus, the report said.

The militants have also threatened to kill three other FSA leaders in the same area if they do not pledge alliance to the leader of the IS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The FSA is a Western-backed opposition grouping that has been considered as "moderates" that could confront government troops and radical groups whose presence have increased in Syria.

Syrian government troops have been engaged in battles against rebel groups and extremists since last year in the western part of al-Qalamoun, a rugged region between the central province of Homs and Damascus.

The Syrian troops managed to sever the rebels' main supply line from neighboring Lebanon during the battles that lasted from last year's winter till the spring of 2014.

However, an array of militant groups are reportedly assembling in the eastern part of al-Qalamoun to fight both government troops and the Islamic State.

Over 190,000 people have been killed and millions of others displaced inside and outside the country as a result of the Syria crisis, which has become more complicated when radical groups capitalized on the chaotic situation to achieve territorial gains.

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