In a deadly assault by Islamic State (ISIS) gunmen, at least three Syrian army soldiers were killed on Monday in Syria’s central Homs province, according to reports from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a Britain-based war monitor.

The attack took place during a combing operation in the Palmyra desert in the eastern countryside of Homs. An officer of the Syrian regime forces, along with two of his companions, were ambushed and killed in a surprise attack by ISIS cells, SOHR reported.

This incident marks the latest in a series of ISIS attacks amid a large-scale sweeping operation by Damascus aimed at eradicating the remnants of the extremist group in regions where it remains active. The Syrian desert, particularly in the east and north, has seen a rise in ISIS activity due to a security vacuum.

ISIS, which rose to prominence in 2014 by seizing large territories in Iraq and Syria and declaring a so-called “caliphate,” was declared territorially defeated in 2019. However, the group continues to pose significant security threats through hit-and-run attacks, bombings, and abductions, particularly in the Syrian desert and several Iraqi provinces.

Just two days prior, on Saturday, five members of a pro-Syrian regime militia were also killed in an ISIS attack in Homs, underscoring the persistent threat posed by the extremist group in the region. The ongoing operations by Syrian forces highlight the challenges in completely eliminating ISIS's presence and influence in these volatile areas.