Islamic State group militants killed at least 15 Syrian pro-government fighters in the eastern Homs countryside on Friday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. IS remnants continue to carry out deadly attacks in Syria and Iraq, targeting pro-government forces and Kurdish-led fighters. Last month, IS fighters killed 28 Syrian soldiers, including members of the Quds Brigade, in government-held areas. Six Syrian soldiers also died in a separate IS attack in eastern Syria.
Syria’s war, which began in 2011, has claimed the lives of over half a million people and displaced millions more. IS militants have also targeted civilians, including truffle hunters, by detonating bombs in the desert. In separate unrest, Syrian soldiers were injured in Israeli air strikes near Damascus. The Israeli military has conducted hundreds of strikes in Syria since the civil war began, mainly targeting army positions and Iran-backed fighters.
