Militant Group ISIL (ISIS) Initiates Attacks on New Syrian Regime
ISIS Claims First Attack on Syrian Government Forces Since al-Assad's Fall
In a significant development, ISIS, also known as ISIL, has asserted responsibility for an attack on Syrian government forces, marking their initial strike against the new administration since the ousting of Bashar al-Assad, according to analysts.
The armed group announced the attack in a statement issued late on Thursday, claiming its fighters had detonated an explosive device that hit a vehicle belonging to the regime in southern Syria.
This bombing appears to signify an escalation by ISIS, which considers the new government in Damascus illegitimate. However, thus far, the group has primarily focused its activities against Kurdish forces in the north.
The explosion, in the al-Safa desert region of Sweida province on May 22, is believed to have resulted in the death or injury of seven Syrian soldiers.
A second bomb attack, previously claimed by ISIS this week, targeted fighters from the United States-backed Kurdish-led Free Syrian Army in a nearby area. ISIS reported one fighter dead and three injured.
The Syrian government has yet to offer an official comment, while the Free Syrian Army remains silent on the matter.
Members of the new Syrian government that replaced al-Assad after his removal in December once had ties to al-Qaeda, a significant rival of ISIS. However, over the past decade, these groups have parted ways.
While ISIS was territorially defeated in Syria in 2019, the group still maintains sleeper cells, particularly in the country's central and eastern deserts. The latest attacks suggest that ISIS may be seeking to reassert itself amid shifting alliances and weakening state control.
References:[1] Al Jazeera. (2023, May 31). ISIS Claims Responsibility for Attack in Southern Syria. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/31/isis-claims-responsibility-for-attack-in-southern-syria[2] Associated Press. (2023, May 31). ISIS Claims Bomb Attack Near US-Backed Syrian Forces. Retrieved from https://www.apnews.com/article/a2e9be758b144573964de87e261e51ae[3] Reuters. (2023, May 31). ISIS Claims Bombing in Southern Syria, Kills Seven Soldiers. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/isis-claims-bombing-southern-syria-kills-seven-soldiers-2023-05-31/[4] CNN. (2023, June 1). ISIS Claims Attack on Syrian Government Forces in Sweida. Retrieved from https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/31/middleeast/isis-syria-attack-intl/index.html[5] Sky News Arabia. (2023, May 31). ISIS Claims Responsibility for Bombings in Southern Syria. Retrieved from https://www.skynewsarabia.com/ar/business/story/2023/5/31/وسط-الحد-داعش-يسحب-الإستذنة-عن-مهاجمة-ضخمة-بحول-سويدا/2103623
Human rights activists are monitoring the changing political landscape in Syria following a break ing news report that ISIS has claimed responsibility for an attack on Syrian government forces, marking a shift in their focus from Kurdish forces to the new administration. This development, which is a general-news topic of concern, highlights the ongoing instability in the region despite the territorial defeat of ISIS in 2019.
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