The Islamic State carried out a deadly attack in eastern Syria overnight on Friday, its third in two weeks.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least 26 Syrian soldiers were killed and another 11 injured in the Al-Mayadeen desert in the countryside of Deir ez-Zor province. IS ambushed the bus using light and medium weapons; the death toll could still rise. According to the United Kingdom-based war monitor, the attack occurred early Friday morning.
SANA, Syria’s official news outlet, reported that several Syrian soldiers had been “martyred” in Deir ez-Zor when a “terrorist group” targeted their bus. SANA said the attack occurred on Thursday, indicating that it may have occurred overnight.
Why it matters: IS lost the last piece of territory it held in Syria in 2019, but it continues to carry out attacks in the country. It has been particularly active this month. On Aug. 1, its members ambushed a Syrian military oil truck convoy in the desert east of Hama, killing five soldiers. The group next attacked Syrian government forces on Aug. 7 east of Raqqa, killing 10.
