In a series of coordinated attacks early Friday morning, suspected members of the Islamic State (IS) targeted three posts manned by Syrian government forces and pro-government gunmen in the central province of Homs, resulting in the deaths of at least 13 individuals. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that the assaults, which took place near the town of Sukhna, left several others wounded, who were subsequently transported to local hospitals.

Conflicting reports regarding the exact casualty figures have emerged. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights indicated that 15 individuals lost their lives during the attacks, while pro-government media outlets Athr Press and Sham FM reported a death toll of 13 soldiers and pro-government gunmen. Both media sources attributed the violence to IS gunmen but did not provide additional specifics.

Although no formal claim of responsibility has been made thus far, the area where the attacks occurred was previously a stronghold of the Islamic State until its official defeat in Syria in March 2019. Since then, IS sleeper cells have been implicated in various deadly assaults targeting Syrian government forces as well as the U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in eastern Syria.

In 2014, the Islamic State declared a caliphate across significant territories in Syria and Iraq, attracting thousands of supporters worldwide to join its ranks. Last month, IS militants executed a similarly brutal assault on pro-government Palestinian fighters near Sukhna, resulting in the deaths of 22 individuals.

The recent attacks underscore ongoing security challenges in Syria despite the official defeat of the Islamic State's territorial presence, with the group's remnants continuing to pose a threat through sporadic violence and insurgency tactics.