Hundred soldiers and civilians killed west and east of Euphrates in Islamic State’s most violent attacks in 2022
Although the Counter-ISIS International Coalition command and the leaders of Syria Democratic Forces announced the elimination of the so-called Caliphate of the “Islamic State” in March 2019, recent developments on the ground indicate that ISIS has not been fully eliminated.
ISIS continues launching military operations and counter-attacks which are met with security campaigns by Coalition forces and their Syria Democratic Forces partner throughout SDF-controlled areas, in addition to military operations by Russian and regime forces against ISIS cells in areas under their control. However, ISIS cells are still able to exploit opportunities to create a security vacuum and carry out assassinations, which clearly indicates that the “Islamic State” is still alive and kicking.
In the 95th month after the declaration of “Al-Baghdadi’s Caliphate”, ISIS carried out over nine operations, including armed attacks and explosions, in areas controlled by SDF, killing seven persons: A civilian and six fighters.
In the Syrian desert, ISIS operations escalated to an unprecedented level as ISIS managed to escalate its attacks on regime forces and their proxy militias in the Syrian desert, especially in Al-Rusafah desert, the surrounding areas of Jabal Al-Bishri in Al-Raqqah, the frontlines of Ithriyah and other frontlines in the eastern countryside of Hama, the desert of Al-Sukhnah, Palmyra in Homs countryside, Deir Ezzor desert and the administrative border between Al-Raqqah and Deir Ezzor.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) tracked and monitored the unprecedented escalation of ISIS attacks in June 2022, documenting 11 operations by ISIS cells. These operations left heavy casualties.
SOHR documented the killing of 42 regime soldiers and loyalists and the injury of 31 others.
Moreover, SOHR documented the killing of a civilian and the injury of 14 others.
While ISIS lost 19 members in clashes with regime forces and Russian airstrikes on ISIS hideouts.
Accordingly, the number of fatalities in military operations in the Syrian desert since early 2022 has increased to 275; and they are as follows:
131 ISIS members were killed in Russian airstrikes on ISIS hideouts in the deserts of Homs, Al-Suwaidaa, Hama, Al-Raqqah, Deir Ezzor and Aleppo.
143 members of regime forces and their proxy militias were killed in 49 operations by ISIS members, including ambushes, armed attacks and explosions, in west Euphrates region and the deserts of Deir Ezzor, Al-Raqqah, Homs, Al-Suwaidaa, Hama and Aleppo.
Source: SOHR
