Special to WorldTribune.com

NICOSIA — For the first time, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant has launched a campaign against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

On July 24, hundreds of ISIL fighters attacked Syrian Army positions in the northern provinces of Hasakeh and Raqqa.

“Islamic State wants to clean the [Hasakeh] province of any army presence,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

On July 25, the British-based opposition monitoring group said nearly 100 people, included two Syrian Army brigadier-generals, were killed in more than a day of fighting. Syrian Observatory said this marked the first ISIL offensive against the army.

Since its establishment in early 2013, ISIL appeared to have been immune from attacks by the Assad regime. For its part, ISIL avoided the Syrian Army and instead targeted rebel militias, particularly Al Qaida’s Nusra Front for the Defense of Levant.

Opposition sources said the uneasy truce between ISIL and Assad began to fray after the Islamic movement’s takeover of northern Iraq in June 2014. They said ISIL brought thousands of fighters as well as captured combat vehicles to northern Syria.

Much of the fighting has taken place around the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. The sources said ISIL deployed suicide bombers to attack Syrian Army positions and offices of the ruling Baath Party.

“Regime bombardment forced the Islamic State to withdraw overnight,” Syrian Observatory said.

On July 26, the Syrian Army, aided by Hizbullah, was said to have recaptured a key natural gas field. ISIL had held the Shaar field for a week.

ISIL has been posting photographs of decapitated bodies said to have been soldiers of the Syrian Army’s 17th Division. The force was said to have employed Saudis for suicide strikes.

“At least six soldiers, one an officer, were decapitated and eight jihadists were killed,” Syrian Observatory said.

  Bashar Assad, Hasakeh, ISIL launches first direct attacks on Syrian forces, Raqqa, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights