2023 Al-Sukhnah attack
Part of the Syrian civil war
LocationDesert near Al-Sukhnah, Homs Governorate, Syria
Date17 February 2023
TargetFarmers
Attack type
Massacre
Deaths68[1]
Perpetrators Islamic State
Civil uprising in Syria (March–August 2011)
Start of insurgency (Sept. 2011 – April 2012)
UN ceasefire; Rebel advances (May 2012 – Dec. 2013)
Rise of the Islamic State (Jan. – Sept. 2014)
U.S.-led intervention, Rebel & ISIL advances (Sept. 2014 – Sept. 2015)
Russian intervention (Sept. 2015 – March 2016)
Aleppo escalation and Euphrates Shield (March 2016 – February 2017)
Collapse of the Islamic State in Syria (Feb. – Nov. 2017)
Rebels in retreat and Operation Olive Branch
(Nov. 2017 – Sep. 2018)
Idlib demilitarization
(Sep. 2018 – April 2019)
Idlib ceasefire (March 2020 – present)
Foreign intervention on behalf of Syrian Arab Republic

Foreign intervention in behalf of Syrian rebels

U.S.-led intervention against ISIL

On 17 February 2023, a group of Islamic State insurgents attacked a large group of truffle farmers and their Syrian Army escort in the desert, southwest of the town of Al-Sukhnah in Homs Governorate, Syria. At least 61 civilians and seven Syrian soldiers were killed in the attack.[1] It was one of the deadliest attacks since the 2018 As-Suwayda attacks.[2][3][4][5]

In recent years, many attacks against civilians while truffle hunting in central, north-eastern, and eastern areas of Syria had been noted. The Islamic State's remnants in the country have been known to use desert hideouts to ambush Kurdish-led forces and Syrian government troops, as well as to continue to launch attacks in neighboring Iraq, since losing much of their territory following a military campaign supported by a US-led coalition in March 2019.[2] A similar attack on foragers in the same region on 11 February 2023 resulted in the deaths of 16 individuals, mostly civilians, with dozens reportedly kidnapped, and 25 later released.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b "Suspected IS Attack In Syria Death Toll Rises To 68: Monitor". Archived from the original on 2023-02-19. Retrieved 2023-02-18.
  2. ^ a b "At least 53 killed in ISIS attack in Syria: State TV". Alarabiyah.net. 17 February 2023. Archived from the original on 17 February 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  3. ^ "Death toll rises to more than 60 in Syria attack attributed to Islamic State group". France24. 18 February 2023. Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  4. ^ "Suspected ISIS attack kills over 50 in Syrian desert". Kurdistan24. 18 February 2023. Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  5. ^ "53 Killed In Ambush Blamed On ISIS, Deadliest Attack In Syria In A Year". NDTV.com. 18 February 2023. Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  6. ^ "Spotlight on Global Jihad (February 9-15, 2023)". 16 February 2023. Archived from the original on 17 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.


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