A suspected Islamic State group attack on pro-government force in east Syria kills at least 13

BEIRUT -- Suspected members of the Islamic State group attacked three posts for Syrian government forces and pro-government gunmen early Friday killing at least 13, an opposition war monitor and pro-government media reported.

The attack wounded others who were taken to hospitals in the central province of Homs, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. It said 15 were killed in the attacks on three posts near the central town of Sukhna and blamed IS.

The conflicting casualty counts could not immediately be reconciled.

Athr Press and Sham FM, both pro-government media outlets, said 13 soldiers and pro-government gunmen were killed in the attacks and that IS gunmen were behind it. They gave no further details.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack but the area was once a stronghold of the extremist group that was officially defeated in Syria in March 2019.

However, IS sleeper cells have been blamed for deadly attacks against both Syrian government forces and against members of the U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in eastern Syria.

In 2014, IS declared a caliphate in large parts of Syria and Iraq, where they attracted thousands of supporters from around the world to join them.

An attack by IS on pro-government Palestinian fighters near Sukhna killed 22 last month.