IS attack kills 11 Syrian regime, allied fighters

BEIRUT: An attack by the Islamic State jihadist group in the Syrian desert Thursday killed 11 government and allied fighters, a monitoring group said. The fighters died in an attack on their vehicle between Al-Sokhna and Al-Shula in the area straddling Homs and Deir Ezzor provinces, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the UK-based monitoring organisation, could not immediately provide further details, but warned that the casualty toll could rise. There was no immediate claim from IS, whose caliphate disintegrated last year but has continued to conduct frequent guerrilla-style attacks in eastern Syria. At least 27 government and allied fighters were killed in an attack by the jihadist group in the same desert area a month ago.