Eleven soldiers killed in Islamic State attack in the Syrian desert

The Islamic State (IS) carried out an attack in a desert region in eastern Syria, killing 11 Syrian soldiers and pro-government fighters, according to the war monitor.

On Thursday, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, “The IS attack took place in an area between the towns of Sukhnah and Shoula between the central province of Homs and the eastern province of Deir al-Zour.

The attack is the latest in a series of offensives carried out by the sleeper cells of the IS group in the Syrian desert.

In March this year, Turkish forces renewed drone attacks on Syrian forces’ positions in the northwestern province of Idlib that left 26 Syrian soldiers dead.

In 2018, at least 57 civilians were killed and hundreds injured in airstrikes allegedly carried out by Russian warplanes over Syria’s rebel-held region of Eastern Ghouta.

Over 400,000 are believed to have been killed or are missing, presumed dead, since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011.

The UK-based watchdog group said 515 government soldiers and pro-government fighters have been killed in similar attacks since March 2019.

Source: The Statesman