BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian activists say negotiations between government forces and the Islamic State group for an exchange of prisoners in the country's south have failed to reach an agreement.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Tuesday that the talks were to lead to a deal under which IS would release captive civilians — about 30 women and children abducted last week during fighting in the southern province of Sweida.

In return, the government was to free 150 captured IS fighters and open a corridor for 100 besieged IS-linked fighters to leave the area of the fighting

The Observatory says that instead, government forces resumed airstrikes on Tuesday, targeting some of the besieged 100 IS-linked fighters near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.