IDLIB, Syria — The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said in a Dec. 4 report, “Military operations are ongoing in separate axes in the Syrian desert between the [Syrian] regime forces and the militias loyal to it on the one hand, and the Islamic State (IS) on the other. The clashes between the two sides are mostly concentrated in the Aleppo-Hama-Raqqa triangle, and to a lesser extent in the deserts of Deir Ez-Zor and Homs. The group seeks to maintain its activity in the area, by continuing its attacks, ambushes, and explosions. Meanwhile, the regime forces are doing their best to limit IS’ activity, with Russian support, through intense airstrikes.”
According to SOHR, since the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced their control of Baghouz village, IS’ last stronghold, on March 24, 2019, the human losses amounted to 1,020 deaths from the regime forces and the militants loyal to it of both Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, two of whom were Russians; in addition to 140 deaths from non-Syrian pro-Iranian militias, all of whom were killed during IS attacks, bombings and ambushes in the west of the Euphrates, the desert of Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, Homs and Suwayda.