ISIS Targets Newly Formed Gov — Chaos Unleashed

Three armed silhouettes near a smoky city skyline

ISIS launches first deadly attacks against Syria’s new government, testing President Trump’s Middle East strategy while exploiting the power vacuum left by Assad’s fall.

Key Takeaways

  • ISIS has claimed responsibility for two bomb attacks in Syria’s Sweida Province, marking their first strike against government forces since Bashar al-Assad’s fall from power
  • The bombings killed and wounded multiple Syrian soldiers, demonstrating ISIS’s continued operational capability despite its territorial defeat in 2019
  • The attacks occurred in a strategic desert region where ISIS maintains sleeper cells, signaling the terrorist group’s attempt to reassert influence amid changing political dynamics
  • The violence poses a direct challenge to Transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s authority and threatens to undermine stability in the region
  • President Trump recently lifted sanctions on Syria after meeting with al-Sharaa, highlighting the administration’s evolving approach to Syrian reconstruction

ISIS Returns to Target the New Syrian Government

ISIS has dramatically announced its continued presence in Syria with coordinated bombings in the southern Sweida Province, directly challenging the fledgling government that replaced Bashar al-Assad’s regime. The terrorist organization claimed responsibility for planting explosive devices targeting what they called a “vehicle of the apostate regime” in the al-Safa desert region on May 22, reportedly killing or wounding seven Syrian soldiers. This marks the first direct attack against Syrian government forces since the political transition that saw Assad’s fall from power, signaling ISIS’s strategic intent to exploit governance gaps during this critical period of Syrian reconstruction.

Multiple Attacks Reveal Coordinated Strategy

The violence wasn’t limited to a single incident. According to multiple sources, ISIS executed a second bombing the following day in the same region, this time targeting the US-backed Free Syrian Army, resulting in one death and three injuries. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that ISIS used a remote-controlled land mine for the first attack, which specifically targeted a Syrian Army reconnaissance group in the desert area, wounding members of the 70th Division and killing an assistant. These sequential attacks demonstrate ISIS’s continued operational capabilities and determination to sow discord among competing factions in Syria’s complex military landscape.

“The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for two bomb explosions in Syria, the first time the extremist group has directly targeted the new government since it took over in December, a war monitoring group said,” a war monitoring group said.

While the Syrian government has notably refrained from publicly acknowledging these ISIS attacks, it has conducted raids against suspected ISIS operatives in Damascus, suggesting intelligence services are well aware of the growing threat. The attacks occurred in Sweida, a province where ISIS has been relatively inactive for nearly a decade, but where the government struggles to maintain a consistent security presence. This strategic choice of location highlights ISIS’s opportunistic approach to exploiting security vulnerabilities in areas already experiencing sectarian tensions, particularly in this Druse-minority-controlled region where recent conflicts have claimed over 100 lives.

ISIS Resurgence Amid Political Transition

The timing of these attacks appears deliberately calculated to coincide with Syria’s fragile political transition. Though ISIS was territorially defeated in Syria in 2019, it has maintained a resilient presence through sleeper cells, particularly in the central and eastern desert regions where government control remains tenuous. Intelligence reports indicate the group has shown renewed activity since Assad’s fall, including plotting attacks in Damascus and claiming responsibility for bombings in eastern Syria. This resurgence threatens to complicate President Trump’s regional strategy, which has recently included lifting sanctions on Syria.

“Vehicle of the apostate regime,” stated ISIL.

The new Syrian leadership under transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa faces mounting challenges in establishing nationwide security. Al-Sharaa, appointed in January, has pledged to hold elections after establishing a new constitution in approximately four years. While his government had past connections to al-Qaeda, those ties were reportedly severed nearly a decade ago. President Trump recently met with al-Sharaa in Riyadh, signaling American support for the transition process. However, these ISIS attacks demonstrate the significant obstacles facing any attempt to stabilize Syria and the persistent threat of jihadist violence that continues to undermine both regional security and American interests in the Middle East.

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