ISIS resurgence | Regime positions in Aleppo-Hama-Al-Raqqah triangle come under attack, while Russian jets bomb the area
Syrian Observatory activists have reported that ISIS members unleashed a new attack on positions of regime forces and loyalists in Aleppo-Hama-Al-Raqqah triangle. Fierce clashes, accompanied by exchange of shelling and fire, are concentrated in Athariya desert. Meanwhile, Russian jets are supporting regime forces to repel the fierce offensive.
This attack comes after the bloody one in Al-Sukhnah desert a few days earlier, which left many casualties.
On Saturday, SOHR sources reported that all contacts with a group of nearly 25 regime soldiers and loyalists were lost, after a column of regime military reinforcement headed to Al-Sukhnah desert to take part in repelling ISIS attacks which started in the early hours of Friday morning.
Meanwhile, Observatory activists documented that day the killing of two regime soldiers and five ISIS members due to the fierce clashes between both sides in the Syrian desert, as well as bombardment by Russian jets.
In 48 hours, SOHR activists documented the killing of 31 ISIS members in the clashes, air and ground strikes, while 20 regime soldiers and loyalists were also killed in the same clashes. The death toll is expected to rise because of the serious injuries of some casualties.
Since the 24th of March 2019, SOHR has documented the killing of at least 590 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, 11 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 243 ISIS members were also killed in attacks and bombardment in the same period.