Unknown gunmen target government forces in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor
DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syrian (North Press) – An armed attack targeted on Sunday posts of Syrian government forces, killing one soldier and injuring three others in the west of Deir ez-Zor Governorate, eastern Syria.
A military source in the Fourth Division, affiliated with the government forces in Deir ez-Zor said that unknown gunmen targeted two posts of the Fourth Division’s soldiers with machine guns on the outskirts of al-Masrab desert, west of Deir ez-Zor.
The source, who preferred not to be named for security reasons, told North Press that the attack resulted in the killing of one soldier named Ali Diyab and wounding three others, who were transported to al-Bassel Hospital in Deir ez-Zor and they are in a critical condition, citing a doctor in the hospital.
“According to the chants they use during the attack, the gunmen belong to Islamic State [ISIS],” he added. “The government forces brought in large military reinforcement to pursue the attackers.”
Iranian-backed militias control large areas of the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, which have recently witnessed violent battles with ISIS sleeper cells.
On Sunday, ISIS claimed responsibility for targeting a leader in Internal Security Forces of North and East Syria (Asayish) in the town of al-Busayrah in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor.