Damascus: Terror group Islamic State (IS) militants attacked a convoy of oil tankers escorted by Syrian military personnel on Tuesday in central Syria, killing five soldiers and two drivers, a war monitor reported.

The IS attacked the convoy on Raqqa-Salamyieh road in the desert region of the eastern countryside of Hama province, using machineguns and rocket-propelled grenades (RPG), said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The UK-based watchdog group said the attack is the latest in a string of attacks by IS militants against Syrian military personnel and civilians alike.

Since the beginning of 2023, 192 Syrian soldiers and pro-government fighters as well as 157 civilians have been killed by IS ambushes in the sprawling desert region that stretches through the provinces of Homs, Hama, Sweida, Raqqa, Deir al-Zour, and Aleppo.

The pro-government al-Watan newspaper said the attack was followed by clashes between IS militants and the Syrian army, noting that six oil tankers, which were en route to the oil refinery in Homs province, were set ablaze before the Syrian fire crews managed to put out the fire.

(With UNI Inputs)