Major ISIS attacks in Syria kill more than 200 people.

A vehicle destroyed in the fighting. BBC/AFP

A major ISIS raid in the city of Suweida in southwest Syria has killed more than 200 people. BBC. ISIS fighters launched multiple suicide bombers and raided homes, killing the occupants. It was the deadliest day of the war for the city since the start of the war in 2011. Syrian soldiers were able to secure the city and drive the ISIS militants out. ISIS has largely been removed from Syria with only a small pocket in the southwest and east still under ISIS control. Syria, along with their Russian allies, have begun to focus on clearing out the southwestern pocket of ISIS control. 

My Comment:

With the defeat of Syrian rebels in the southwest corner of Syria the fighting between ISIS and the government was inevitable. The rebels were working as a buffer between two sides and with the last rebels fleeing to the north there is nobody left to fight but ISIS. 

This was a major attack and it shows that even though ISIS has been greatly reduced, it is still capable of offensive operations. They were taking advantage of the chaos and disorder that has followed the Deraa offensive. Though there weren't able to take Suweida they did manage to kill a lot of people and inflict quite a bit of damage. This was a fairly sophisticated attack even if it did fail to take and hold any territory. 

This was a pretty predictable outcome from Syria's offensive in Deraa. One of the things they did during that offensive is withdraw troops from the Swadia Desert region which is to the east of the city. ISIS was able to use that to their advantage. 

It doesn't appear that this was ISIS's affiliate that controls the tri-border region of Syria, Jordan and Israel. Instead this was one of the last holdouts of core ISIS that remain in the center of the country. ISIS has been taken out just about everywhere else but a few holdouts remain. 

It seems pretty clear that this raid is just a blip in the radar though. ISIS is on the run globally and there is basically no chance of them returning to prominence. That is especially true in Syria. With the rebels almost completely defeated, the Syrian regime can now focus on clearing out what is left of ISIS. 

I am guessing that this is going to be one of the only ISIS offensives left during the war. They are mostly a spent force, even though this attack was fairly sophisticated. It still failed though and the ability of ISIS to take and hold territory is almost completely gone. 

The only hope that ISIS has is for a major war to break out between the regional powers. If, for example, Syria and Turkey go to war, which they might, ISIS might make a comeback. Even if that happens though I doubt ISIS will be able to rise to the heights they once held. The war against them in Syria is almost over...