Intense clashes in Syria desert leave dozens of regime and ISIS fighters dead

DAYRO ZCURO, Syria — Since the beginning of September, Syrian regime military operations targeting the remnants of the Islamic State (ISIS) have continued in and around the Syrian desert (Badia). Since the beginning of the operation, dozens of fighters from both sides have been killed.

The confrontations have been concentrated in the Holob–Hemto–Raqqa (Aleppo–Hama–Raqqa) triangle and, to a lesser extent, in the Badia near Hmoth (Homs) and Dayro Zcuro (Deir ez-Zor). Despite the ongoing operations, which have made use of significant Russian air cover, ISIS elements continue to carry out various operations, including ambushes, bombings, and targeted assassinations.

Earlier this week, a Syrian regime convoy went missing on the road between Daramsuq (Damascus) and Dayro Zcuro.

Regime sources stated that, “The convoy was lost in the Syrian Badia after leaving Damascus heading towards Deir ez-Zor.”

Despite combing the area surround where the convoy possibly disappeared, no trace of it was found.

An estimated 125 members of the regime-aligned National Defense Forces (NDF) defected to SDF areas in late-August due to increasing ISIS attacks in the area and to avoid partaking in the Badia operation.

The U.N. believes there are upwards of 10,000 ISIS fighters in Syria and Iraq.

The death toll from recent clashes is likely to increase due to the presence of serious injuries among regime forces.