Seventy five people including women and children have been reportedly killed in a car bomb planted by members of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Deir Az Zor area of eastern Syria. According to a United Kingdom based monitoring group, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the incident which occurred on Sunday left over 140 people injured.
In a statement issued shortly after the attack, the group said "members of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces were also killed in the attack that comes days after the eastern city was reportedly captured by the Syrian army"
It added that "the attack took place on the road known as the traders road, which is used to transport food supplies to the areas under the control of the 'Islamic State. Those that were targeted in the attack were likely fleeing the fighting that had recently taken place in the city of Deir Az Zor."
According to Al Jazeera, "Deir Az Zor had almost been entirely controlled by ISIL, also known as ISIS, since 2014. It is the main city of the oil-rich province of the same name. The campaign to retake the city began in September when Syrian forces managed to break the three-year siege."
On Friday, the Syrian army announced through its state media it had completely recaptured the city from the group. Watchers are envisaging that though the Government claims to have recaptured the area, pockets of isolated attacks and suicide bombings would be prevalent.
