IS suicide attack in Syria kills 17 regime troops

IS targeted the regime-controlled Taim oil field in Deir az-Zour with suicide bombings, shelling and machine gun fire, killing at least 17 Syrian regime forces.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab Staff

04 October, 2020

Syrian regime forces have been the target of a recent string of IS attacks [Getty]

The Islamic State group launched a string of attacks against regime forces and their allied militias in eastern Syria, killing 17 soldiers and injuring at least 30.

On Saturday, IS fighters targeted the Taim oil field in Deir az-Zour governorate with suicide bombings, as well as mortar shells and anti-tank missiles, local activist Jasim Alyan told The New Arab's Arabic-language service.

The jihadist fighters then opened fire on the site with machine guns, killing 17 people and wounding scores more.

Regime forces fought back with artillery fire and Russian warplanes intervened in an attempt to stop the attack.

It was not clear how many casualties there were among IS forces.

Meanwhile the same morning, another IS cell attacked Syrian pro-regime militia the National Defence Forces in southern Raqqa governorate.

No casualties were reported.

Since its defeat in Syria in March 2019, IS has carried out regular deadly attacks on the regime army, its allied militias, and Kurdish forces.

Despite the heavy presence of Russian and regime forces, IS has been focusing its recent attacks in central Syria, in the governorates of Homs and Hama.

Read also: Syria Insight: Russia moves into Iran-controlled eastern Syria

Since September, Russian forces have been targeting IS in the eastern desert, after the jihadists killed a Russian general and two other soldiers in an attack the previous month.

Analysts have said the militant group benefitted from the lockdowns imposed during the coronavirus pandemic, taking advantage of the diversion of security forces and border closures.