Syria: 11 Daesh militants killed in Russian raids

At least 11 fighters from the Islamic State militant group – Daesh – were killed and 20 more were wounded on Thursday in Russian air raids in eastern Syria, a war monitor said Thursday.

The Russian strikes hit the group’s sites in the desert area of al-Sukhnah and Palmyra, east of Homs as well as the desert of Deir al-Zour including caves where Daesh militants were hiding, said the Britain- based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights which relies on a network of sources in Syria.

According to the observatory, since the beginning of 2022, Russian warplanes have launched more than 229 strikes against similar targets in the Syrian desert. However, Thursday’s strikes have been the “deadliest” since last November, when the observatory reported the killing of 16 Daesh members.

The group often launches attacks against pro-regime military bases in the Syrian desert region, which extends between the governorates of Homs and Deir ez-Zor on the border with Iraq.

Earlier on Wednesday, the observatory reported that Daesh militants had attacked the Syrian National Defence Forces in Al-Salihiya desert area near the city of Albukamal on the Syrian-Iraqi border in Deir Ezzor’s countryside, killing 5 members and injuring 14 others.

According to the observatory, since the beginning of this year, as many as 20 members of the Syrian regime forces have been killed in attacks carried out by Daesh militants in the Syrian desert area.

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