Islamic State Targets New Syrian Government in Recent Bombings

ISIS has asserted responsibility for two bomb attacks on Syrian government troops, marking a significant resurgence of the group since the fall of Bashar al-Assad. The recent incidents occurred in Sweida Province, an area where government control remains tenuous.

The Islamic State (ISIS) has announced its involvement in two bomb attacks aimed at Syrian government forces, marking a troubling shift in its activities since the Assad regime's collapse last December. According to the SITE Intelligence Group, the extremist organization stated that its operatives were responsible for the attacks that resulted in casualties among soldiers and allied militia members. Notably, the Syrian government has not publicly confirmed these incidents, although it reported conducting recent operations against ISIS elements in the Damascus region.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based monitoring organization, confirmed that a remote-controlled land mine attack in eastern Sweida Province led to the death of one individual and injuries to three members of the Syrian Army's 70th Division. The deceased was reportedly accompanying the military unit during the patrol.

These bombings are particularly significant as they occurred in Sweida, an area previously devoid of ISIS activity for nearly a decade. Local control in this province largely rests with the Druse minority, and tensions have escalated recently due to sectarian clashes, claiming over 100 lives in late April and early May.

While ISIS once commanded large territories across Syria and Iraq until its defeat by U.S. and allied Syrian forces, the group has maintained a persistent insurgency in eastern Syria since 2019. Their renewed assertiveness post-Assad's regime change has posed additional challenges to government stability, with attacks now being plotted even in the capital, Damascus.