The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Syrian desert | Landmine explosion kills two Iranian-backed Syrian militiamen, while ISIS launches new attacks on regime posts

SOHR activists have documented the death of two Iranian-backed Syrian militiamen due to a landmine explosion on Jabal al-Beshri in east al-Raqqah desert where ISIS cells are prevalent. The explosion coincided with the ongoing combing operations in search for ISIS members in that region.

 

Separately, ISIS members launched several attacks today on posts of the regime-backed National Defence Forces (NDF) in al-Masrab and al-Madhoul deserts in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor, leaving casualties among the NDF.

 

SOHR sources have also reported tens of Russian airstrikes since early August on different areas of the Syrian desert in the provinces of Homs, al-Raqqah, Deir Ezzor and Hama. Meanwhile, regime forces and their proxy militias continue combing operations in Palmyra and al-Sukhnah deserts in the eastern countryside of Homs.

 

Since 24th of March 2019, SOHR has documented the death of at least 1,512 regime soldiers and loyalists of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, including at least two Russians, and 153 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, al-Raqqah, Homs, al-Suwaidaa, Hama and Aleppo.

 

Also, four civilians working in gas fields and tens shepherds and other civilians, including children and women, 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 973 ISIS members were also killed in attacks and bombardment in the same period.