ISIS Kills Over 60 Syrian Troops in 48 Hours of Attacks

Attacks hit several areas along north, east Syria

A flurry of ISIS attacks over the past 48 hours, which the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights is describing as the deadliest such attacks since the fall of the caliphate, has killed over 60 Syrian troops and other pro-government fighters.

The attacks hit several provinces across Syria’s north and east, with a Thursday strike in Deir Ezzor starting a series of moves which also saw them hit Syrian troops near the city of Homs, as well as forces near the oft-contested ancient city of Palmyra.

ISIS doesn’t control any specific territory in any of these areas, but in the past has had presences in all of them. After the loss of towns and villages, many of their fighters have escaped and blended into the countryside and desert.

These new attacks are being presented as a “comeback” by some, though the more likely explanation is that ISIS is trying to prove that they remain relevant across Syria, and is using coordinated attacks to get a more impressive death toll.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.