By Anas al-Bar | 2024-10-17

Over the past year, the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) has escalated the frequency of its attacks in Syria's eastern desert (Badiya), where it regularly carries out armed attacks and sets up ambushes, especially at night.

ISIS attacks often target civilians, as well as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Syrian regime forces and elements of allied Iranian militias.

ISIS cells are spread out across the Badiya in scattered groups.

This desert area extends over 74,000 square km (about 40% of the area of Syria) and encompasses the provinces of Deir Ezzor, al-Raqa, Aleppo, Hama, Homs, rural Damascus and Sweida.

Despite the flatness of the terrain and lack of vegetation cover, the Badiya remains a safe and strategic hiding place for ISIS due to its vastness, providing ease of movement from one place to another.

It also bolsters the group's ability to pose a serious threat to city centers.

Targeting farmers, truffle harvesters

Between January and September 1, ISIS conducted 183 attacks in the Badiya, including 82 in Homs, 64 in Deir Ezzor and the rest in al-Raqa, Hama and Aleppo, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Dozens of civilians were killed in these operations, notably farmers, shepherds and truffle harvesters, in addition to regime soldiers and Iran-aligned militia fighters.

On September 11, an ISIS cell targeted two military headquarters of the Syrian regime in the deserts of al-Mayadeen and al-Quriyah, east of Deir Ezzor, with light and medium weapons.

One regime soldier was killed and three others were wounded in the attack, according to the Syrian North Press Agency (NPA).

Three days earlier, ISIS claimed responsibility for an attack on a military post near an oil site in the eastern countryside of Homs that killed eight regime soldiers.

Deceptive approach

Recent attacks and the notable escalation in ISIS's activities "are an indication that the danger it poses is still strong," Al-Masdar Media Group director Nawras al-Arfi told Al-Fassel.

ISIS has scattered cells in various parts of the desert, he said, noting that their threat is primarily directed at Syrian regime forces and affiliated Iranian regime-allied militias.

The Syrian regime and the militias benefit from ISIS's increased activity "to strengthen their military grip and impose their influence on Syrian territory under the pretext of fighting terrorism," al-Arfi said.

"But in reality, they are engaging in deception as they are not making any real military effort to eradicate the terrorist cells from the desert, and they do not want stability in the region."

"The regime and its partner Iran only seek chaos and destruction everywhere," al-Arfi added.