The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Combing operation | Three National Defence members ki*lled by landmine explosion in Al-Rusafah desert in Al-Raqqah countryside.

Three members of the regime’s “National defence,” one of whom was a “minor,” from Rastan city in the countryside of Homs, were killed by a landmine explosion during combing operations in search of ISIS cells in Al-Rusafah desert in Al-Raqqah countryside.

Two days ago, regime forces and the “Al-Quds Brigade” militia brought in military reinforcements, including vehicles, armoured vehicles, four-wheel drive vehicles with heavy machine guns and troop carriers, towards Al-Rusafah desert south of Al-Raqqah to search for ISIS cells.

According to SOHR statistics, the number of fatalities in military operations in the Syrian desert since early 2022 has increased to 430; and they are as follows:

• 166 ISIS members were killed in Russian airstrikes on ISIS hideouts in the deserts of Homs, Al-Suwaidaa, Hama, Al-Raqqah, Deir Ezzor and Aleppo.

• 263 members of regime forces and their proxy militias, including 27 Iranian-backed Syrian and non-Syrian militiamen, were killed in 102 operations by ISIS members, including ambushes, armed attacks, and explosions, in west Euphrates region and the deserts of Deir Ezzor, Al-Raqqah, Homs, Al-Suwaidaa, Hama and Aleppo.

• Five civilians were killed in attacks by ISIS in the Syrian desert.