SDF arrest ISIS cell in Syria’s Deir al-Zor

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Special units of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Tuesday carried out an operation with support from the US-led Coalition against a suspected Islamic State cell in Deir al-Zor.

The SDF’s Coordination and Military Operations Centre said in a statement on Wednesday that its forces detained “a terrorist cell that was smuggling ISIS members and their families and was cooperating with ISIS cells in executing explosions and assassinations.”

The centre added the international coalition offered air support during the operation in Ghareiba in the northern countryside of Deir al-Zor, noting that “some weapons and ammunition were confiscated.”

Despite the SDF and the US-led coalition announcing the Islamic State’s defeat on March 23, 2019, in Baghouz, the terror group’s sleeper cell attacks persist in areas the Kurdish-led forces had liberated. Islamic State cells are especially active in Deir al-Zor where there are still some local networks that maintain some links to Islamic State members. Furthermore, Syrian regime cells and others linked to Turkey are also active in the region.

In response, the SDF has carried out campaigns with support from the US-led Coalition against remaining cells in northeastern Syria to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State militants.

On Saturday, the SDF announced the capture of three suspected terrorists in two cells of the so-called Islamic State in al-Shahil and al-Tayiana in the Deir al-Zor province.

According to a monthly report of the Rojava Information Center (RIC) published on Dec. 7, November saw the lowest number of sleeper-cell attacks since records began following the 2019 destruction of the extremist group’s so-called caliphate.

The RIC said the majority of raids, nine, took place in Deir al-Zor, while Hasakah had four, Manbij two, and Raqqa had one. “No raids were documented in the Al Hol Camp this month,” the report said.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany