ISIS resurgence: Nearly 495 regime soldiers, Iranians and loyalists killed in attacks in Syrian desert in 13 months

ISIS activities have escalated throughout the Syrian desert where regime forces and loyal militiamen of Syrian and foreign nationalities are present, in particular the Iranian militias and Lebanese and Iraqi Hezbollah.

ISIS resurgence is concentrated in the desert of both Deir Ezzor and Homs where ISIS members and cells have launched various types  of offensives, from detonations, ambushes, planting landmines and IEDs, to the almost daily surprising attacks.

The large reinforcement brought in recently by regime forces and Iranian militias as well as the escalating Russian airstrikes have not been able to contain ISIS growing activity in the past 13 months.

ISIS attacks between the 24th of March 2019 and today, the 25th of April 2020, left hundreds of casualties. SOHR has documented during this period the killing of at least 494 regime soldiers and loyalists of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, including at least two Russians, and 127 Iranian-backed militiamen of non-Syrian nationalities. All were killed in attacks, bombings and ambushes by the “Islamic State”, west of Euphrates in the deserts of Deir Ezzor, Homs, and Al-Suwaidaa.

Also four civilians working in gas fields, two shepherds and four other people were killed and documented by SOHR in the same period, from late March 2019 until today. They were killed in attacks by ISIS cells. While 149 ISIS members were also killed in attacks and bombardment in the same period.