Suspected ISIS Assault Kills 22 Pro-Government Fighters in Central Syria

On Thursday night, a suspected Islamic State assault killed 22 pro-government fighters, mostly from the Quds Brigade, near the town of Sukhna in central Syria. The Quds Brigade is a government and Russian-backed faction composed primarily of Palestinian fighters.

The offensive targeted a bus carrying members of the Quds Brigade late Thursday night in the vicinity of Sukhna, which was once an ISIS stronghold. While there has been no immediate claim of responsibility, both the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and pro-government media have attributed the assault to the Islamic State group.

The Quds Brigade has been actively supporting Syrian government forces throughout the country's 13-year conflict, which has resulted in significant human suffering, killing half a million people and displacing half the country's pre-war population.

Why this matters: Although the Islamic State group suffered a major defeat in Syria in 2019, its sleeper cells continue to pose a threat, being held responsible for various deadly offensives targeting Syrian government forces and the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. The ongoing insurgency underscores the persistent security challenges in the region, despite the territorial defeat of ISIS.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the assault killed 28 fighters, while pro-government media put the death toll at 22. "The attack began with explosive devices that went off as the bus drove by, followed by heavy machine-gun fire," the Observatory's director, Rami Abdel Rahman, told AFP.

This latest incident highlights the ongoing threat posed by ISIS sleeper cells in central Syria, where they have been waging an insurgency for over six years. The Syrian and Russian forces have responded with airstrikes against ISIS cells and their hideouts in the region, but the group continues to carry out deadly offensives, particularly against pro-government forces.

Key Takeaways

• Islamic State attack killed 22 pro-government fighters in central Syria.
• The attack targeted a bus carrying members of the Quds Brigade, a Russian-backed faction.
• ISIS sleeper cells continue to pose a threat in Syria despite territorial defeat.
• The attack highlights the ongoing insurgency and security challenges in the region.
• Syrian and Russian forces have responded with airstrikes, but ISIS continues deadly offensives.