The “Islamic State” organization has escalated its attacks against military sites and points belonging to the regime forces and militias loyal to them in the desert, since the beginning of the new year 2024.

The organization’s operations were carried out by launching surprise attacks, hitting targets, and clashing with members in the targeted locations, in addition to planting mines in various areas in the desert, then withdrawing and hiding from sight deep in the desert. The death toll during the military operations within the Syrian desert reached, according to documents The Syrian Observatory: 69 people have been killed since the beginning of 2024, killed in 23 operations by ISIS members in separate areas in the west of the Euphrates and the desert of Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, and Homs.

The dead are:
-8 from the “Islamic State” organization at the hands of regime forces and militias.

-53 of the regime forces and militias loyal to them, including 5 of the pro-Iranian militias of Syrian nationality.

-8 people, including a child, in ISIS attacks in the desert

The regional distribution was as follows:

– 8 operations in the Deir ez-Zor desert, It resulted in the killing of 19 military personnel, including 4 from the pro-Iranian militias, and 2 from the organization.

– 11 operations in the Homs desert, It resulted in the killing of 24 military personnel, including 1 from the pro-Iranian militia, and 3 from the organization, and the martyrdom of a civilian.

– 2 operations in the Raqqa desert, It resulted in the killing of 9 soldiers and 3 members of the organization.

– 2 operations in the Hama desert, It resulted in the killing of 1 soldier, 6 people, and a child.

These attacks were followed by regime forces bringing in military reinforcements to the Syrian desert, especially in Deir ez-Zor, to pursue ISIS members, coinciding with Russian warplanes carrying out air strikes on the locations of ISIS cells in the Rusafa desert in the Raqqa countryside.

Below, the Syrian Observatory reviews the details of operations since the beginning of the year as follows:

-January 1, one of the oil convoy guards from the “Al-Qaterji” militia was killed, 3 others were injured, and another was kidnapped. In an armed attack by members of the “Islamic State” organization, on the concentration points of pro-regime militias in the Kasiba field, Al-Mazraa, and Al-Kharata in the southern desert of Deir ez-Zor, which led to the outbreak of clashes between the two sides. It is noteworthy that the targets are workers protecting oil wells.

-January 1, the “Islamic State” organization attacked military sites of the regime forces in the Al-Shiha area in the Al-Tabni desert, west of Deir ez-Zor. In the context of this, violent clashes broke out between the two sides, while the regime forces brought in military reinforcements to the battle lines, while missile strikes were carried out behind the clash lines.

-January 2, gunmen from ISIS cells launched a surprise attack, starting from deep in the Syrian desert, on the sites and concentrations of regime and national defense forces, in the Tabani Desert. The attack resulted in the death of approximately 9 regime forces and members of the “National Defense” and the wounding of more than 20 others, and information about others, as the clashes continued, before the “organization” members withdrew from the positions they had controlled in the desert of the towns of Al-Tabani and Ma’dan. In the western countryside of Deir ez-Zor, they seized a Kia car mounted with a 57 mm cannon and its ammunition, and destroyed 3 four-wheel-drive military vehicles (pick-ups).

-January 2, militants from the “Islamic State” organization launched a surprise attack with machine guns and medium weapons. Through it, they targeted Iranian Revolutionary Guard militia points in the western desert of the town of Al-Duwair in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, killing 4 and wounding 3 of Syrian nationality, while the gunmen fled to an unknown destination deep in the desert.

-January 4, a member of the National Defense Forces was killed and two others were injured. As a result of the explosion of a landmine planted by ISIS members in the Al-Tabni desert in the countryside of Deir ez-Zor.

-January 5, two members of the regime forces were killed, in an attack carried out by members of the “Islamic State” organization, as they targeted a military patrol carrying the members, It coincided with its passage near the Wadi Abyad Dam in the eastern Homs desert, amid alert by regime elements and deployment at the site, to pursue the attackers.

-January 6, 4 members of the regime forces were killed and others were injured, in a surprise attack carried out by members of the “Islamic State” organization, on the sites and concentration points of members of the regime and militias loyal to them in the Palmyra desert in the countryside of Homs. This was followed by the outbreak of violent clashes between the two sides that lasted for hours, before the ISIS members withdrew towards the depths of the Syrian desert.

-January 7, groups from the “Islamic State” organization attacked regime forces’ points In the Al-Koum area, north of the city of Al-Sukhna in the eastern countryside of Homs, it clashed with regime forces and militants loyal to them in the area.

-January 7, members of ISIS cells attacked a group of sheep herders In the Budaiya area, south of the city of Palmyra, which resulted in the killing of one shepherd, the kidnapping of another, and the death of approximately 100 sheep.

-January 7, a member of the “Fourth Division” was killed. Shot by gunmen from ISIS cells who were riding a motorcycle, near Al-Hassan School in the city of Al-Mayadeen, east of Deir ez-Zor.

-January 9, 14 members of the regime forces were killed, and more than 19 members were injured with varying injuries. In a bloody attack carried out by members of the “Islamic State” organization on an overnight bus carrying the members in the area of ​​the third station in the Palmyra desert in the eastern countryside of Homs, where the wounded were transferred to the Palmyra Hospital to receive treatment, amid great alert by the regime forces.

-January 9, an officer with the rank of lieutenant in the ranks of the regime forces, and a member of the National Defense Forces, were killed in a new attack carried out by members of the “Islamic State” organization. In the desert of Athreya in the western countryside of Raqqa, where clashes took place between the two sides, before the withdrawal of ISIS members towards the depths of the desert.

-January 9, 19 members of the regime forces and militants loyal to them were killed, in addition to more than 19 others being wounded with varying injuries, in two attacks by “the organization” in the Syrian desert, The death toll of the regime forces and militants loyal to them rose to 5 members, including a lieutenant officer and at least one member of the National Defense Forces, as a result of an attack by the “Islamic State” organization in the Athreya desert in the western countryside of Raqqa, where clashes took place between the two sides, before the “organization” members withdrew. “Towards the depths of the desert.

-January 9, militants from ISIS cells launched a surprise attack with heavy and medium machine guns, starting from deep in the Syrian desert. They targeted military points belonging to armed men loyal to the regime in the Kabajib area, south of the city of Deir ez-Zor, which led to the killing of two members of the regime forces from the 137th Brigade.

-January 10, a member of the 4th Division of the regime forces was killed as a result of being targeted By gunmen who are likely to be from ISIS cells in the town of Al-Duwair, within the areas controlled by regime forces and Iranian militias in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor.

-January 11, members of ISIS cells attacked several points of the 17th Division of the regime forces and the National Defense Forces. Near the town of Taybeh in the eastern Homs desert, where violent clashes broke out between the two sides, and ISIS members were able to block the Al-Koum-Al-Sokhna road, which led to the withdrawal of members of the 17th Division and the National Defense towards the town of Al-Koum.

-January 11, two members of the regime forces were killed as a result of the attack launched by members of the “Islamic State” organization cells on the 17th Division and “National Defense” points, Near the town of Al-Taybeh in the eastern Homs desert, where violent clashes took place and the organization was able to cut off the Al-Koum – Al-Sukhna road and the regime forces and the National Defense Forces withdrew.

-January 16, a member of the regime forces was killed as a result of wounds he sustained as a result of clashes with the “Islamic State” organization on January 11 of this year. Within the Sukhna desert, east of Homs, the death toll of regime forces in the above-mentioned clashes rises to 3, and the number is likely to rise due to the number of wounded, some of whom are also in serious condition.

-January 16, two members of the “Islamic State” organization cells were killed by a mine explosion, on January 11, After they launched an attack on their motorcycles, during which they targeted points and concentrations of regime forces and Iranian militias in the Kasiba field, Al-Mazraa, and Al-Kharata in the southern desert of Deir ez-Zor.

During a sweeping campaign carried out by regime forces, they found two bodies and one of the attackers with amputated legs. He was captured, and the two bodies were taken away.

-January 16, a member of the regime forces was killed and another member was injured with varying injuries as a result of the explosion of a land mine left behind by the “Islamic State” organization. While a car was passing on the Athreya Road in the Hama countryside, the injured person was taken to the hospital to receive treatment.

-January 18, violent clashes broke out between members of ISIS cells on one side, and members of the Afghan Fatemiyoun Brigade militia on the other, following an attack launched by ISIS members on military points belonging to the militia. Near the old Palmyra airport and south of the Arak field, east of Homs, which led to the killing of 3 members of the “organization” cells, and the death of a member and the wounding of another member of the “Fatemiyoun” Brigade militia, before the “organization” members withdrew deep into the Syrian desert.

-January 20, gunmen from ISIS cells on motorcycles launched a surprise attack with light and medium weapons. They targeted points belonging to the “National Defense” militia near Station T3 in Palmyra, and in the vicinity of the Al-Talila Reserve, northeast of Palmyra.

They also launched another attack, targeting the National Defense Militia, members of the region’s tribes, around the village of Zamla in the eastern desert of Raqqa. The “organization” members were able to control some of the National Defense Militia’s sites after the latter’s members fled, amid the sending of military reinforcements by the regime and National Defense forces coming from Arak field towards the engagement axes in the vicinity of Al-Talila Reserve.

-January 20, violent armed clashes broke out after midnight on Friday-Saturday, between members of ISIS cells, on the one hand, and regime forces and militias loyal to it, on the other hand. On the road between Station 2 and Station 3, east of Al-Sukhnah in the eastern countryside of Homs, four members of the regime forces were injured and were transferred to Palmyra Military Hospital to receive treatment.

-January 20, 3 members of the National Defense were killed, in an attack launched by the “Islamic State” organization, on a military site in the vicinity of Zamila. In the eastern desert of Raqqa, during which the organization was able to impose its control on some sites of the National Defense militia after the latter’s members fled, coinciding with intense Russian air strikes.

-January 20, 3 members of ISIS cells were killed, and the death toll of “National Defense” members rose to 4. In an attack launched by the “Islamic State” organization on a military site in the vicinity of the Zamila area in the eastern desert of Raqqa.

-January 20, 16 members of pro-Iranian groups of different nationalities were injured. In an attack on the vicinity of the Talila Reserve, northeast of Palmyra.

-January 21, it was confirmed that 6 people from the Al-Hadidin clan were killed, in Wadi Al-Azib in the eastern Hama countryside, during a raid by ISIS members yesterday. To the village of Rasm al-Yatna in the Al-Saan district in the northeastern countryside of Salamiyah, within the areas of influence of the regime forces.

Thus, the number of human casualties in this attack rose to 7: the martyrdom of a child in the village of Rasm al-Yatna, and 6 people from the al-Hadaydin clan in Wadi al-Azaib.

According to information obtained by activists of the Syrian Observatory, ISIS members stormed the village at night, burned 6 houses, two cars, and an agricultural tractor, and stole a car and a number of sheep. The attack also resulted in the death of 200 sheep, amid a state of panic and fear among the villagers.

-January 21, a member of the Lebanese Hezbollah militia and 5 of the National Defense militia were injured, including a critical condition. In a new attack carried out by members of the “Islamic State” organization, on sites where members of the Lebanese Hezbollah, the National Defense Militia, and regime forces are stationed, in the Al-Talila Reserve area, east of the city of Palmyra in the eastern countryside of Homs, where they were transferred to hospitals in the city of Homs.