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Is Islamic State rebuilding in Syrian desert?

Hardly a day passes without the Islamic State carrying out an attack against government forces and their allied militias in the Syrian desert.

A general view taken on August 13, 2017, shows an Islamic State group poster in the central Syrian town of Al-Sukhnah.
A general view taken on August 13, 2017, shows an Islamic State group poster in the central Syrian town of Al-Sukhnah, as pro-government fighters clear the area after taking control of the city situated in the county's large desert area called the Badiya. — STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images

Despite the announcement of the defeat of the Islamic State (IS), and despite the numerous campaigns launched by all parties in Syria against it, the terrorist group still poses a threat.

At the field level, it seems IS cells resumed their activities in the Syrian desert, known as Badiya. Military operations have intensified to the point that hardly a day passes without IS carrying out an explosion, ambush, assassination or attack in separate areas of the Badiya, which extends over Raqqa, Hama, Homs, Deir ez-Zor and all the way to Suwayda. 

These terrorist operations include targeting security and military personnel from the government forces, Iranian militias and Russian forces. Despite the numerous campaigns launched by the various parties in Syria against IS, its power of offense remains unhinged, which indicates that it has regained its ability to make a strong comeback.

Local websites reported that the government forces had attended the funeral of three members, including an officer with the rank of captain, who were killed on June 6 by an IS mine as they were riding a vehicle on a dirt road linking the city of al-Sukhna and Athreya in the eastern desert of Homs.

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