SDF-backed force arrest ISIS suspect in Syria's Deir al-Zor

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced on Sunday that the internal security forces, also known as Asayish, in the Deir al-Zor countryside arrested one suspect with alleged links to ISIS.

The SDF's Coordination and Military Operations Center, in a tweet, noted that the operation took place in eastern rural Deir al-Zor, with the support of the coalition’s Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR).

“We are #StrongerTogether in our fight to #DefeatDaesh,” the SDF said.

Although the SDF and the coalition announced the territorial defeat of ISIS in Syria in March 2019, sleeper cell attacks persist in what appears to be a deliberate campaign to destabilize northeastern parts of the nation, primarily in cities, towns, and rural tracts of land once under the extremist group’s control.

On August 30, the SDF announced it arrested 5 suspects in two separate operations in Deir al-Zor with support from coalition air surveillance.

The coalition and the SDF have had success reducing ISIS sleeper cell activity in northeast Syria.

The RIC said in a recent monthly report on ISIS sleeper cell attacks in northeast Syria that seven of the 12 sleeper cell attacks in the month of July were carried out in Deir al-Zor. Four other attacks were in Raqqa and the remaining one occurred in Qamishlo, located in Hasakah province on the Turkish border.

“Since RIC started reporting on sleeper cell attacks in March 2019, after ISIS’ territorial defeat in Baghouz, the number of attacks has never been as low as this month,” wrote the RIC. 

“Since May, attacks have halved each month, going from 42 in May to 24 in June and down to 12 in July.”