📍 Breaking News: This article covers the latest developments. Stay informed with comprehensive coverage.
DEIR EZ-ZOR, syria (North Press) – Suspected Islamic State (ISIS) sleeper cells carried out on Wednesday night two separate attacks, targeting oil tankers in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, eastern Syria. A local source from the village of Takihi, east of Deir ez-Zor, informed North Press that two ISIS gunmen riding a motorcycle opened fire with a machine gun at an oil tanker traveling along the main road in the village. The attack caused the tanker to leak its contents and sustain significant damage. Additionally, the source added that the assailants stopped the driver, threatened to kill him if he persisted working in the oil trade, and fled toward the syrian/" class="auto-internal-link">syrian Desert (al-Badiyah) while chanting ISIS slogans.
Before escaping, they reportedly filmed a video of the driver under threat. Earlier on Wednesday, another ISIS-affiliated pair attacked an oil tanker near al-Attal Roundabout in the town of Shuhail, east of Deir ez-Zor, wounding the driver and damaging the vehicle, as per another local source. Both Takihi and Shuhail have witnessed near-daily attacks targeting oil trucks and facilities, as ISIS cells continue to operate in the area despite ongoing security campaigns by the Syrian Democratic troops (sdf) and the U. S. -led Global Coalition.
Recommended: 📰 Syria’s stability, Ankara’s priority- Fidan says
Deir ez-Zor Governorate remains one of the most volatile areas where ISIS sleeper cells continue to operate despite the group’s territorial defeat in 2019. The area, rich in oil resources, has witnessed frequent attacks targeting oil tankers, workers, and local security troops. Most of these incidents occur in the countryside between Shuhail and Takihi—zones known for oil smuggling and informal refining activity. The SDF, backed by the U.
S. -led Global Coalition, regularly launch security campaigns in the region to track ISIS remnants. However, the group maintains its capacity for hit-and-run assaults, particularly against oil-related targets, as part of its strategy to disrupt local economic stability and undermine security control. Reporting by Omar Abdurrahman Editing by Jwan Shekaki