The wreckage of a bus, carrying Assad regime troops, attacked by the Islamic State in eastern Syria, December 30, 2020

UPDATE, FEB. 4:

A pro-Assad militia backed by Iran announced on Wednesday that 12 of its fighters were killed by Islamic State attackers.

The Baqir Brigade was attacked in southern Raqqa Province. Bodies were taken to the Salamiyah National Hospital.

UPDATE, JAN 25:

In their latest attack, Islamic State fighters killed three Assad regime soldiers in an ambush in eastern Syria on Sunday morning.

The assailants again targeted a bus on the road between Deir al-Zor Province and the city of Palmyra.

ORIGINAL ENTRY, JAN 12: In its latest assault on Assad regime units, the Islamic State has killed eight soldiers and militiamen in eastern Syria.

Local sources said five troops and three pro-Assad fighters were slain in an attack on a regime position in Deir ez-Zor Province. Eleven men were wounded, some critically.

ISIS was expelled from cities, towns, and villages in eastern Syria between 2017 and 2019 by the US-supported, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. Pro-Assad offensives, enabled by Russian airpower and special units on the ground, also took territory.

But the Islamic State has maintained cells in central and eastern Syria, stepping up attacks on pro-Assad forces and positions in the past year. At least 44 pro-Assad fighters have been slain this month.

Local sources said ISIS burned a bus carrying Assad troops, 15 of whom are missing, in Hama Province in central Syria on Friday.

The following day, an Islamic State cell shot dead seven regime loyalists in al-Shola in Deir ez-Zor Province.

On December 30, ISIS claimed responsibility for the ambush of an Assad troop bus in Deir ez-Zor. At least 28 people were killed.

See also At Least 28 Assad Regime Troops Killed in Suspected ISIS Attack on Bus