ISIS militants killed at least four members of Syria’s internal security forces in an attack on a security checkpoint west of Raqqa, state media reported Monday.
The assault, attributed to the Islamic State group, struck the al-Sabahiya checkpoint, where the victims were stationed. Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) cited a security source saying the attack targeted the checkpoint and that one of the assailants was killed during the clash.
ISIS leadership has recently circulated statements urging fighters to intensify operations against the Syrian government, describing recent assaults as part of a widened campaign against the nation’s leadership.
Raqqa was once the de facto capital of the Islamic State’s territorial control, and despite its recapture years ago, the group retains sleeper cells capable of sporadic lethal actions. Syrian authorities have increased security operations across the region to counter these threats. There was no immediate independent confirmation of the group’s casualty claims beyond official and local reporting.
