US-backed SDF forces arrest two ISIS suspects in Deir al-Zor

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Anti-Terror Units (YAT) of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) arrested two ISIS members in Deir al-Zor on Thursday, the US-led Special Operations Joint Task Force-Levant (SOJTF LEVANT) announced on Twitter yesterday.

“Today, the 1st YAT conducted operations in the Dashisha region resulting in the detention of two #Daesh (Arabic acronym for ISIS) members,” the SOJTF LEVANT said.

Today, the 1st YAT conducted operations in the Dashisha region resulting in the detention of two #Daesh members. The YAT continue to build on their successful mission to #DefeatDaesh.

— Special Operations Joint Task Force-Levant (@SOJTF_LEVANT) February 17, 2022

“The YAT continue to build on their successful mission to #DefeatDaesh (using the Arabic acronym for ISIS).”

Our fight against terrorism continues with a firm resolve, particularly against the Daesh terrorist organization that has resorted to various methods in an attempt to reorganize its ranks and control the regionhttps://t.co/Jt1Wbh9Siv

— Farhad Shami (@farhad_shami) February 18, 2022

The SDF also said today that “on February 15, our forces conducted a sweep operation in the town of Diban eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, and arrested two Daesh (ISIS) terrorists who were planning to target the Autonomous Administration areas east of Deir Ezzor (Deir al-Zor).”

“The first terrorist called Tarek Rashid al-Hamou aka Osama Kardash is from Iraq, and he was involved in numerous Daesh (ISIS) attacks, so his hands bore the blood of many innocent people.”

The SDF said that al-Hamou confessed he had entered the area through the Syrian Badia (desert), and that “he was mandated to be positioned in important areas to break the security cordon imposed by the SDF on the al-Sina’a prison in al-Hasaka during the Daesh (ISIS) attack.”

Moreover, the SDF arrested a 14-year-old ISIS child soldier from the Turkestan area, Farhad Abdul Rahman al-Turkestani, who was brought by Deash (ISIS) “to Deir Ezzor to participate in suicide attacks (...).”

“The boy’s family lives in Turkey, and he entered Syria to join Daesh (ISIS) terrorist organization along with his father who was killed in Aleppo city,” the SDF said.

Despite the SDF and the US-led coalition announcing the defeat of the extremist group’s so-called caliphate on March 23, 2019, ISIS sleeper cell attacks continue in the liberated areas.

On Wednesday 16th, the SDF announced that they carried out two anti-ISIS operations in rural Deir al-Zor province, killing a "dangerous terrorist" and capturing another.

Read More: US-backed forces conduct anti-ISIS operations in eastern Syria

The SDF declared they had arrested ISIS financier Muhammed Ahmad Karaz on February the 13th, saying “Karz was responsible for funding and financing the Daesh terrorist cells in northern and eastern Syria and their families in the al-Hol camp.”

Read More: SDF detains suspected ISIS financier in Raqqa

According to the latest yearly report by the Syria-based Rojava Information Center (RIC), published on Wednesday, the majority of ISIS activity in 2021 was in the Arab majority regions of northeast Syria.

“This was especially true in Deir ez-Zor (Deir al-Zor), where ISIS continued to intermittently exercise power over civilians by imposing taxes, setting up moving checkpoints, and trying to impose Sharia law on an ad hoc basis.”

The report said the “SDF increased their arrests and raids this year and continued to collaborate closely with the International Coalition, especially with air support.”

These recent operations come in the wake of a large-scale ISIS attack on al-Sina'a prison, which sought to free the 3,000 to 3,500 suspected terrorists held there. While detainees rioted inside the prison, ISIS tried to blow the prison open with an explosive-laden car. The attack highlighted the continued danger of ISIS sleeper cells in northeast Syria.

Read More: US-led coalition says SDF cleared Hasakah prison from enemy fighters

The SDF announced on Jan. 30 that it had fully recaptured al-Sina'a after the remaining ISIS fighters there surrendered.