Islamic state ambush: 54 Syrian soldiers killed in desert
Fighters from the Islamic State killed 54 Syrian soldiers who had fled to the desert after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government. The soldiers were captured and killed by Al-Qaeda jihadists in the Homs province, located in central Syria.
This brutal attack, involving the murder of Syrian soldiers by Islamic State fighters attempting to wait out the crisis in the desert, was reported by the AFP agency. The report referenced information from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), stating that the soldiers were killed by Al-Qaeda in Homs province.
This attack occurred after the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) announced the capture of Damascus early on Sunday morning. The Assad family, which had ruled Syria for over 50 years, was overthrown.
Syria: Tragic death of 54 soldiers in the desert
HTS is recognized by the USA and the UN as a terrorist organization. However, it might be removed from the sanctions list if it changes its conduct.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, Matthew Miller, noted that the decision to potentially lift sanctions on HTS depends on the actions of this group. However, it is unclear whether the 10 million dollar reward for capturing the HTS leader, Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani, still stands.
Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani, the leader of HTS, formerly fought within Al-Qaeda's ranks. Following the outbreak of the civil war in Syria in 2011, he founded the Nusra Front, which was associated with both Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. His actions contributed to the current situation in the region.
Both AFP and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights emphasize that the situation in Syria remains very tense, and the country's future is uncertain. The conflict, ongoing since 2011, continues to exact a tragic toll on both civilian and military populations.
