The commander of regime army in the Syrian desert was killed on Sunday by the Islamic State as heavy clashes still taking place despite Eid al-Fiter, First Muslim Eid holiday, regime news feeds said.
M.General Fuad Khaddour killed in al-Arak area near Palmyra desert, also knwon as al-Badiya, 26 miles, 40 km east of Homs city, according to pro-regime media.
Al-Badiya extends over 90,000 square kilometres (35,000 square miles) from central Syria to the borders with Iraq and Jordan to the east and southeast.
Much of the al-Badiya has been held by ISIS, but Syria's army has been chipping away at it for months.
Also in Homs, four regime troops, including three officers, have been killed on Saturday in a surprise attack by rebels on an army bastion in northern countryside, local reporter said.
The attack on Border Guards barrack near al-Dar a-Kabeera town also left 7 troops wounded.
Three rebel fighters were killed in the attack, the reporter added
