On Tuesday, a convoy of oil tankers under military protection was attacked by Daesh militants in the Syrian desert, resulting in seven fatalities, which included two civilians, according to a war monitor. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the casualties included five members of the regime forces and two drivers, all victims of the armed assault by Daesh in the eastern region of Hama province.
This UK-based monitor, known for its extensive network of sources within Syria, mentioned the use of machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades by the attackers. In March 2019, Daesh lost its final foothold in Syria due to a military operation supported by a coalition led by the United States. However, remnants of the militant group continue to take refuge in the desert, conducting fatal assaults from these hideouts.
The militant group has repeatedly ambushed civilians, Kurdish-led troops, Syrian government forces, and pro-Iran fighters from these desert hideouts, while also launching attacks in neighboring Iraq. Syria’s war commenced when peaceful protests against President Bashar Assad’s government in 2011 were brutally suppressed, leading to a deadly conflict that drew in foreign powers and global jihadists.
This conflict has claimed the lives of over half a million people and displaced millions more. Just last week, Daesh claimed responsibility for a rare bombing near the Sayyida Zeinab mausoleum in Damascus, which is the most frequented Shiite pilgrimage site in Syria. This attack led to the death of at least six people.
