Five people were arrested Tuesday at a Syrian refugee encampment in the eastern border area of Masharii al-Qaa, state-run National News Agency reported.

“Army intelligence agents raided a refugee settlement in Masharii al-Qaa and arrested five people suspected of collaborating with the Islamic State group,” NNA said.

“The were taken to a military barracks for interrogation,” the agency added.

The development comes a day after IS militants positioned in al-Qaa's outskirts fired seven rockets at the town of which four landed near an army post.

The army retaliated by firing artillery and multiple rocket launchers at the militants.

The military has intensified its shelling of the group in recent days amid preparations for an assault aimed at eradicating it from the border region.