Syrian conflict escalates: 54 soldiers killed by Jihadists
Fighters of the Islamic State killed 54 Syrian soldiers who had fled to the desert after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government. The soldiers were captured and killed by Al-Qaeda jihadists in Homs province, central Syria.
The brutal attack and murder of Syrian soldiers by Islamic State fighters, who were attempting to wait out the crisis in the desert following the downfall of the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad's regime, was reported by the AFP agency, citing the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). The soldiers were slain by Al-Qaeda in Homs province.
This occurred after the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) announced the capture of Damascus early on Sunday morning. The Assad family, which had ruled Syria for over 50 years, fell.
Syria: tragic death of 54 soldiers in the desert
HTS is recognized by the USA and the UN as a terrorist organization. However, it may be removed from the sanctions list if it changes its conduct.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, Matthew Miller, noted that the decision to possibly lift sanctions on HTS would depend on the group's actions. However, it is unclear whether the $10 million reward for capturing the HTS leader, Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani, still stands.
Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani, the leader of HTS, formerly fought in Al-Qaeda's ranks. After the outbreak of the civil war in Syria in 2011, he founded the Nusra Front, which was associated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. His activities contributed to the current situation in the region.
Both AFP and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights emphasize that the situation in Syria remains very tense, and the country's future is uncertain. The conflict, ongoing since 2011, continues to take a tragic toll on both civilian and military populations.
