IS kills 19 regime fighters in east Syria: monitor

Jihadists from the Islamic State group have killed at least 19 pro-government fighters in a spate of attacks in eastern Syria, a monitoring group said Sunday.

Destruction is seen in the recently-liberated Harasta City in the Eastern Ghouta in the countryside of Damascus, Syria, 29 March 2018.

Destruction is seen in the recently-liberated Harasta City in the Eastern Ghouta in the countryside of Damascus, Syria, 29 March 2018. Source: AAP

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attacks over the past 24 hours in Syria struck in and around the town of Albu Kamal, near the border with Iraq.

IS has largely been defeated since storming across the region in 2014, but still clings to pockets of territory in eastern Syria and maintains the ability to launch deadly attacks.

Albu Kamal was a long-time stronghold of the jihadists that they lost in the face of a Russian-backed offensive at the end of 2017.

The Observatory says the group now holds less than five percent of territory in Syria, mainly pockets in the deserts of eastern and central regions. 

But the group managed to launch a surprise strike in the capital Damascus last month that saw them capture the Qadam district.

The Observatory said the death toll among pro-regime fighters in the strike had risen to 116 after more bodies were discovered in the rubble.


Share

1 min read

Published

Source: AFP, SBS



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Watch now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world