Attack blamed on IS militants kills 22 pro-government fighters in central Syria

BEIRUT (AP) — An opposition war monitor and a pro-government media outlet say an attack on pro-government fighters by suspected members of the Islamic State group in central Syria killed 22 pro-government fighters. Gunmen attacked a bus carrying members of the Quds Brigade, a government and Russian-backed faction of mostly Palestinian fighters in Syria, near the town of Sukhna late Thursday night. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Despite their defeat in Syria in March 2019, IS sleeper cells have been blamed for deadly attacks against Syrian government forces and members of the U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.