Damascus, Nov 13 — Islamic State (IS) militants have stepped up attacks in Syria’s eastern Deir al-Zour province, targeting two oil tankers in separate incidents on Thursday, even as Syrian authorities expand nationwide counterterrorism operations, according to the Interior Ministry and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The Britain-based war monitor reported that suspected IS gunmen opened fire on a fuel tanker in the village of al-Tayyahki, north of Deir al-Zour, damaging the vehicle but causing no casualties. In a second assault in the nearby town of al-Shahil, militants attacked another tanker, leaving its driver injured.
The Observatory said the incidents reflect a surge in Islamic State activity across the eastern Euphrates region, where sleeper cells have been staging ambushes, bombings, and assassinations. Since the beginning of 2025, the group has reportedly carried out at least 215 attacks in territories controlled by the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. These assaults have claimed 97 lives — including 68 members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and allied units, 13 IS fighters, 15 civilians, and one SDF collaborator.
In response, Syria’s Interior Ministry released footage on Thursday showing coordinated raids on suspected IS hideouts across multiple provinces. The operations, conducted jointly with the General Intelligence Directorate, are part of an intensified counterterrorism drive launched last week. Officials said the campaign is based on “precise intelligence monitoring” and aims to dismantle IS sleeper networks and apprehend their members, though no details on arrests or casualties were provided.
The crackdown follows interim leader Ahmad al-Sharaa’s recent visit to the United States for discussions on enhancing joint efforts to eliminate remaining Islamic State strongholds in Syria’s eastern and desert regions.
