IS kills 21 Syrian soldiers in late night ambush

In an overnight attack in eastern Syria, the Islamic State group ambushed pro-government militiamen, killing at least 21 fighters, according to information released on Wednesday by both pro-government media and an opposition war monitor.

In the central Syrian desert, between the government-held city of Homs and the US-backed Kurdish-led forces-controlled city of Raqqa, the militiamen from the pro-government National Defence Places were ambushed, according to Sham FM radio.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based opposition war monitor, assigned a higher death toll of 34 militiamen killed in the attack, but it still blamed IS. Various numbers of casualties are frequently reported following such attacks.

Syrian officials did not immediately comment on the attack, and there was no immediate claim of responsibility from IS.

The attack comes as violence is rising elsewhere in Syria. The opposition-held enclave in the country’s northwest has witnessed intense shelling and airstrikes by the Syrian army and Russian allies over the past month, and an Iran-backed Iraqi militant group regularly launches attacks on US bases in eastern and southern Syria.

Neighbouring Israel has been mired in war in the blockaded Gaza Strip since Oct 7, following the deadly incursion by the Palestinian militant group into southern Israel. Israel has also continued to strike government-held parts of Syria, including numerous attacks on the international airports in the city of Aleppo and the capital, Damascus.

(with inputs from agencies)