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ISIS Claims Responsibility for Wednesday's Syria Bus Attack

The scene of an attack targeting a bus transporting regime soldiers. (Getty Images)
The scene of an attack targeting a bus transporting regime soldiers. (Getty Images)
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ISIS Claims Responsibility for Wednesday's Syria Bus Attack

The scene of an attack targeting a bus transporting regime soldiers. (Getty Images)
The scene of an attack targeting a bus transporting regime soldiers. (Getty Images)

ISIS on Thursday claimed responsibility for a bus attack in Syria the previous day, saying it had killed 40 Syrian army soldiers and badly wounded six others.

The statement was carried by the terror group’s Amaq news agency.

Syrian state media said on Wednesday that 28 people had died in an attack on a bus along a main highway in the Deir Ezzor province that borders Iraq.

A senior military defector in the area said on Wednesday the vehicle carried soldiers and pro-government militias who had finished their leave and were on their way back to their base in the desolate, sparsely populated area.

Another source told Reuters at least 30 soldiers were killed, mostly from the Syrian army’s Fourth Brigade, which has a strong presence in the rich oil-producing province since ISIS fighters were ousted at the end of 2017.

Deir Ezzor residents and intelligence sources say there has been a rise in recent months of ambushes and hit-and-run attacks by remnants of ISIS militants who hid in caves in the mainly desert region.

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EU’s Borrell Urges Israel to Accept Lebanon Ceasefire ‘Today’

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell gives a statement to the media after his meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, in Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP)
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell gives a statement to the media after his meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, in Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP)
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EU’s Borrell Urges Israel to Accept Lebanon Ceasefire ‘Today’

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell gives a statement to the media after his meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, in Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP)
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell gives a statement to the media after his meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, in Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP)

The European Union's foreign policy chief urged the Israeli government on Tuesday to back a proposed ceasefire deal in Lebanon which he said has all the necessary security guarantees for Israel.

Speaking at a G7 Foreign Ministers meeting in Italy, Josep Borrell said there was no excuse for not implementing the deal with Iran-backed Hezbollah, adding pressure should be exerted on Israel to approve it immediately.

"Let's hope that today (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu will approve the ceasefire agreement proposed by the US and France. No more excuses. No more additional requests," Borrell said, criticizing hard-line Israeli ministers who have spoken against the deal.

Israel looks set to approve a US plan for a ceasefire with Hezbollah on Tuesday, a senior Israeli official said.

Borrell, who said he discussed prospects for a deal in a recent trip to Lebanon, said one of the sticking points was whether France should be included in a committee monitoring the implementation of the ceasefire, which the US is due to chair.

He said the Lebanese have specifically asked for France's involvement, but the Israelis have misgivings.

"This is one of the points that are still missing," he said.

Borrell also criticized what he saw as Western double standards on the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrants for Netanyahu, his former defense chief, and a Hamas leader, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict.

"You cannot applaud when the court goes against (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and remain silent when the court goes against Netanyahu," he said, urging European Union member states to support the ICC.

Italy, which holds the G7 presidency, said on Monday it was trying to broker a common position for the group on the ICC decision, but progress is hard since the US has said it does not recognizethe jurisdiction of the court and opposes the arrest warrant for Netanyahu.

The G7 comprises the US, Italy, France, Germany, Britain, Canada and Japan.