ISIS Claims Attack Killing Two Syrian Soldiers in East Syria

Two Syrian soldiers were killed in an attack in eastern Syria on Monday, with the Islamic State group claiming responsibility on Tuesday in what marks the first deadly operation against the Syrian government since February. The assault took place in the northeastern province of Hasaka, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), which reported that unknown assailants fired on a bus in the countryside of the region, killing two soldiers and wounding others.

The militant group issued a brief statement through its affiliated Amaq news agency, asserting that its fighters had killed and wounded six members of what it described as the "apostate Syrian army" during an ambush in the same area. The attack underscores the persistent threat posed by ISIS at a time when President Ahmed al-Sharaa is working to consolidate state control nearly a year and a half after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad.

Ongoing Threat and Government Response

At the height of Syria's civil war a decade ago, ISIS controlled roughly a quarter or more of the country's territory before being expelled by an international coalition and other forces. The Syrian government under al-Sharaa joined a U.S.-led coalition last year to combat the group.

In February, ISIS announced a new phase of operations targeting al-Sharaa's government, launching a series of attacks. One such assault near the city of Raqqa killed four members of the Syrian government's security forces.