Syrian desert in ten days | Nearly 70 ISIS members, regime soldiers and loyalists killed, while Russian jets execute over 400 airstrikes
Since the beginning of 2021, ISIS has noticeably stepped up its operations in the Syrian desert, including ambushes, attacks and explosions, inflicting great losses on the ranks of regime forces and loyal militias. It seems that the Islamic State has no intention of capturing posts and positions, but it wants to send a massage to regime forces and allies that it is still alive and kicking.
Syrian Observatory activists have documented the deaths of 44 regime officers, soldiers and loyalists in ambushes, explosions and attacks by ISIS members in the Syrian desert since the beginning of 2021. Most of the fatalities were in the eastern desert of Hama, while the rest were in Deir Ezzor desert. The military operations also left tens of soldiers injured, some seriously.
Besides, three civilians, including a little girl, were killed in an ambush on Damascus-Al-Raqqah highway.
On the other hand, ISIS lost at least 25 fighters in Russian airstrikes and clashes in the same period.
Meanwhile, the renewed security campaigns by regime forces and loyal militias, backed by Russian aircraft, failed to hinder ISIS resurgence. SOHR activists have documented over 400 airstrikes by Russian jets on the Syrian desert since the beginning of 2021.
Since 24th of March 2019, SOHR has documented the killing of at least 1,181 regime soldiers and loyalists of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, including at least two Russians, and 145 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 633 ISIS members were also killed in attacks and bombardment in the same period.