After a series of attacks on the city of al-Bukamal, ISIS has shifted their attention to a desert area east of the border city.
ISIS units have attacked positions of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and Hezbollah in the Humaymah-T2-Muazilah triangle. The most intense clashes have erupted near Humaymah and Muazilah.
However, all the ISIS attacks have been repelled.
The recently increased ISIS activity on the western bank of the Euphrates and in the Homs-Deir Ezzor desert contribute to claims by some Syrian expert that the US-led coalition still hopes to use the terrorist group as a tool against Syrian government forces. ISIS has no important facilities or even notable villages in its control near the government-held area, but it is fiercely attacking the SAA and its allies.
At the same time, there are many ISIS-held villages, even besieged, in the zone of responsibility of the US-led forces. But no major ISIS attacks are reported in the area.
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