Two soldiers killed in attack in Northern Syria: state media
Damascus, June 20
Two Syrian soldiers were killed on Saturday by unknown people in northern Syria's Aleppo province, state news agency SANA reported.
Citing a defence ministry source, SANA said the two soldiers were targeted near the city of Manbij in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo, Xinhua news agency reported.
The incident is the latest in a series of attacks and ambushes targeting military personnel in Syria's new transitional authorities. On May 11, two soldiers were killed when their bus came under attack in the countryside of northeastern Syria's Hasakah province.
Some media reports suggested an Islamic State involvement in the recent series of attacks against members of the new Syrian military forces that were formed in the wake of the downfall of the previous Syrian administration in late 2024.
Earlier this week, a suicide attack targeted a camp belonging to Syria's interior authorities in the northern province of Raqqa, killing two personnel and wounding others.
Noureddin al-Baba, spokesperson of Syrian interior authorities, said in a statement that a "terrorist suicide attack" struck one of its camps in Raqqa.
The attack killed two members of the security forces and injured others, according to preliminary information released.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
The incident comes as Syrian authorities continue security operations against extremist cells in several parts of the country following the political transition that followed the collapse of former President Bashar Assad's government in December 2024.
The interior authorities announced earlier this month that security forces had arrested 235 suspected Islamic State members over a three-month period and dismantled several militant cells in operations across Syria.
Raqqa province, once the de facto capital of the Islamic State group in Syria, has remained vulnerable to attacks and insurgent activities despite years of military operations against extremist organisations.
Syrian officials have repeatedly warned that militant groups were attempting to exploit security gaps and instability in parts of the country during the transitional period.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Looks like the Islamic State is still very active in Syria despite all the military operations. They've been targeting the new security forces since the fall of the Assad government. Raqqa was their stronghold, so no surprise it's a hotbed again. The transitional period is always vulnerable, but it's sad that soldiers are paying the price.
So many lives lost even after the regime change. The new Syrian authorities need to get a grip on security, especially in areas like Raqqa and Aleppo. It's not just about fighting ISIS but also about rooting out the sleeper cells. India has learned this the hard way—you need both military action and intelligence to tackle insurgency. Hope they arrest more of these militants soon.
Another day, another attack in Syria. The Islamic State might be defeated territorially, but they clearly still have the capacity to strike. The bus attack and now this—soldiers are easy targets when they're out on the ground. The international community should step up support for the new Syrian government, otherwise it'll keep bleeding.
The situation in Syria is a classic case of power vacuum after the fall of the old regime. IS and other extremist groups are exploiting the chaos. India has witnessed something similar in the past, but we managed to hold the line through strong policing and community engagement. The Syrian authorities should focus on winning local hearts and minds while targeting the militants.
Yet another report of soldiers dying in Syria. It worries me that they arrested 235 suspected IS members but these attacks keep happening. How many more are out
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