Key facts
- Two Syrian soldiers were killed in an attack near Manbij, Aleppo.
- Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.
- Investigations are underway to identify the perpetrators.
- ISIS sleeper cells are active in the region and carry out sporadic attacks.
Two Syrian soldiers were killed and others injured in an attack by unidentified assailants on a military bus in northeastern Aleppo, state media reported. The incident occurred near Manbij, with investigations underway to identify the perpetrators.
Rural areas in northeast Syria are often considered havens for remnants of the Islamic State (ISIS), which continues to carry out sporadic attacks despite its territorial defeat in 2019. In late April, ISIS claimed responsibility for a similar attack that killed a Syrian soldier in the northern Aleppo countryside.
The Syrian government has recently expanded its control over parts of the north and northeast regions, previously held by Kurdish-led forces. Syria has also officially joined the international coalition against the Daesh group.