Damascus: At least 13 soldiers were killed when their bus was ambushed in the central province of Homs, a state media report said Monday.
Officers were among the slain soldiers, whose bus was attacked in the desert region of the city of Palmyra in the countryside of Homs, Xinhua news agency quoted the report as saying.
It added that 18 other soldiers were wounded by the “terrorist attack”, which was carried out with the use of various weapons.
The state media report did not name the group or individual behind the attack, but similar ones have been carried out by remnants of the Islamic State (IS) terror group, which is still active in the desert region.
Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights placed the death toll at 15.
It added that thetoll is likely going to rise as most of the wounded are in critical condition.
The attack is the latest in a series of targeting by the IS against the Syrian army in the desert area.
In January, a similar attack by IS on a military bus near Palmyra killed five soldiers and wounded 20 others.