ISIS Attack Kills 11 Regime, Allied Fighters in Syrian Desert

FILE PHOTO: Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters walk on the rubble of damaged shops and buildings in the city of Manbij, in Aleppo Governorate, Syria, August 10, 2016. REUTERS/Rodi Said/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters walk on the rubble of damaged shops and buildings in the city of Manbij, in Aleppo Governorate, Syria, August 10, 2016. REUTERS/Rodi Said/File Photo
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ISIS Attack Kills 11 Regime, Allied Fighters in Syrian Desert

FILE PHOTO: Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters walk on the rubble of damaged shops and buildings in the city of Manbij, in Aleppo Governorate, Syria, August 10, 2016. REUTERS/Rodi Said/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters walk on the rubble of damaged shops and buildings in the city of Manbij, in Aleppo Governorate, Syria, August 10, 2016. REUTERS/Rodi Said/File Photo

An attack by ISIS in the Syrian desert Thursday killed 11 regime and allied fighters, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The fighters died in an attack on their vehicle between Al-Sokhna and Al-Shula in the area straddling Homs and Deir Ezzor provinces.

Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the UK-based monitor, warned that the casualty toll could rise.

There was no immediate claim from ISIS.

At least 27 regime and allied fighters were killed in an attack by the militant group in the same desert area on April 9.

ISIS has also carried out deadly attacks in Iraq in recent weeks.

Observers have warned that border closures and mobilization of security resources due to the coronavirus pandemic could give rise to a surge in ISIS attacks.

The extremist group no longer has fixed positions, but it still has hundreds of militants hunkered down in desert hideouts.

Two members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces were also killed in a suspected ISIS attack in Baghouz, near the border with Iraq, the Observatory said.

Such attacks against the SDF have been frequent in the Baghouz area.



Israel Says Remains of 3 Hostages Recovered from Gaza

A tent camp for displaced Palestinians stretches among the ruins of buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardments in west of Gaza City, Saturday, June 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
A tent camp for displaced Palestinians stretches among the ruins of buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardments in west of Gaza City, Saturday, June 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
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Israel Says Remains of 3 Hostages Recovered from Gaza

A tent camp for displaced Palestinians stretches among the ruins of buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardments in west of Gaza City, Saturday, June 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
A tent camp for displaced Palestinians stretches among the ruins of buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardments in west of Gaza City, Saturday, June 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

The Israeli military said Sunday that it has recovered the remains of three hostages held in the Gaza Strip.

It identified them as Yonatan Samerano, 21; Ofra Keidar, 70; and Shay Levinson, 19.

All three were killed during Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack into Israel that ignited the ongoing war. The militant group is still holding 50 hostages, less than half of them believed to be alive.

Kobi Samerano said in a Facebook post that his son's remains were returned on what would have been Yonatan's 23rd birthday.

“The campaign to return the hostages continues consistently and is happening alongside the campaign against Iran,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.