Observatory: ISIS Killed Over 100 in Syria Since Start of Year

ISIS continues its attacks despite its defeat in 2013. (AFP)
ISIS continues its attacks despite its defeat in 2013. (AFP)
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Observatory: ISIS Killed Over 100 in Syria Since Start of Year

ISIS continues its attacks despite its defeat in 2013. (AFP)
ISIS continues its attacks despite its defeat in 2013. (AFP)

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said that more than 100 civilians and military were killed in 50 operations on Syrian territories since the beginning of 2024, despite the “definitive defeat of the organization and the cessation of its control over extensive swathes of Syrian territory."

Since the start of the year, ISIS cells have executed 50 separate operations in the desert, including ambushes, armed assaults, and bombings in areas like the western Euphrates, Deir Ezzor, Raqqa, and Homs.

SOHR added that the death toll from these military activities in the Syrian desert has risen to 133 since the beginning of 2024. This toll includes 17 fatalities attributed to ISIS and 101 to regime forces and militias. Additionally, five civilians lost their lives while gathering truffles, and ten individuals, including a child, fell victim to ISIS attacks in the Syrian desert.

According to statistics from the Observatory, operations were delineated into various regions: 16 in the Deir Ezzor desert, resulting in the deaths of 27 soldiers, including seven from pro-Iran militias, two from the organization, and two truffle hunters. In the Homs desert, 27 operations led to the deaths of 50 soldiers, including three from pro-Iran militias and 12 from the organization, along with six civilians.

Additionally, three operations in the Raqqa desert resulted in 11 soldier fatalities, including three from the organization, while three operations in the Hama desert led to 10 soldier deaths and seven civilian casualties, including a child.

Furthermore, one operation in the Aleppo desert resulted in the deaths of three pro-Iranian militia members.



Lebanon Hopes for Neighborly Relations in First Message to New Syria Government

Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (C) arrives for a meeting with visiting Druze officials from Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) in Damascus on December 22, 2024. (AFP)
Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (C) arrives for a meeting with visiting Druze officials from Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) in Damascus on December 22, 2024. (AFP)
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Lebanon Hopes for Neighborly Relations in First Message to New Syria Government

Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (C) arrives for a meeting with visiting Druze officials from Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) in Damascus on December 22, 2024. (AFP)
Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (C) arrives for a meeting with visiting Druze officials from Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) in Damascus on December 22, 2024. (AFP)

Lebanon said on Thursday it was looking forward to having the best neighborly relations with Syria, in its first official message to the new administration in Damascus.

Lebanese caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib passed the message to his Syrian counterpart, Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, in a phone call, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry said on X.

Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah played a major part propping up Syria's ousted President Bashar al-Assad through years of war, before bringing its fighters back to Lebanon over the last year to fight in a bruising war with Israel - a redeployment which weakened Syrian government lines.

Under Assad, Hezbollah used Syria to bring in weapons and other military equipment from Iran, through Iraq and Syria and into Lebanon. But on Dec. 6, anti-Assad fighters seized the border with Iraq and cut off that route, and two days later, opposition factions captured the capital Damascus.

Syria's new de-facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa is seeking to establish relations with Arab and Western leaders after toppling Assad.