17 members of the Syrian regime forces were killed in a series of attacks by ISIS cells on separate locations in the Syrian desert within 72 hours, bringing the death toll of the regime and its loyal militias to 90 since the beginning of 2024.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, nine members of the regime were killed and three others wounded in an attack by ISIS members on a gathering of regime forces in the Dweizin area in the desert of the eastern Hama countryside in northern Syria.
Additionally, four members of the regime were killed and two wounded, including an officer, due to the explosion of a landmine planted by extremist group cells during a military vehicle passage in the village of Darwishiya of the Jub al-Jarrah district in the desert of the eastern countryside of Homs.
The Observatory reported that three members of the regime forces succumbed to wounds sustained in an attack by ISIS cells three days prior, targeting points of the regime and the National Defense militia supporting it, between the towns of Taybeh and Sukhna in the desert of the eastern countryside of Homs, bringing the death toll of the attack to four regime soldiers.
Consequently, the death toll of regime forces and their auxiliary militias since the beginning of 2024 has risen to 90, falling victim to 41 attacks by ISIS cells in various areas of the Syrian desert, as per the Observatory’s data.
A week earlier, ISIS cells launched four attacks on Syrian regime forces’ positions in the Syrian desert, one of which targeted the vicinity of the Arak gas field, northeast of the city of Palmyra in the countryside of Homs.
In response, the regime forces deployed military reinforcements from the 17th and 18th divisions and members of the National Defense, along with military equipment, vehicles, field guns, and ammunition to their military points stationed near the Dubayat gas field in the eastern countryside of Homs. This move coincided with the increasing intensity of the organization’s attacks in separate areas within the regime forces’ influence.
On Sunday, Robert Strauch, the inspector general of Operation Inherent Resolve at the U.S. Army’s Combined Joint Task Force Command, revealed that the Pentagon’s anti-ISIS mission had been disrupted by attacks from Iran-backed militias on U.S. bases.
These attacks “diverted attention and resources away from Operation Inherent Resolve and impeded momentum,” Strauch said, emphasizing that “international coalition officials had to balance immediate security challenges while strengthening the capabilities of local partners in the long term.”
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
