SDF prevents massive bombing in former ISIS capital

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced on Sunday that they prevented a massive bombing in Raqqa by ISIS cells last Friday. During the operation, two ISIS suspects were killed.

The SDF press centre said in a statement that SDF special units conducted a qualitative security operation against a “dangerous Daesh (ISIS) cell north of Raqqa city.”

“Based on the intelligence gathered by our competent agencies, we confirmed that the cell was preparing to conduct a massive bombing in Raqqa city using a car bomb,” the SDF said.

The SDF added that during the operation clashes erupted with the terrorist suspects resulting “in (the) killing two of them, destroying the car bomb, and arresting three others. One of the killed terrorists was responsible for the IEDs and bombings.”

“The security operation saved Raqqa from a big attack, and it is considered a heavy blow to Daesh’s (ISIS) attempts to realign its terrorist cells in the region.”

Raqqa was liberated from ISIS in October 2017 by the SDF with support from the US-led coalition.

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

Also last week, the SDF arrested three ISIS suspects in Raqqa.

Read More: SDF arrests three ISIS suspects in Raqqa

Moreover, on September 16, the SDF said its forces had captured twenty people accused of carrying out sleeper cell activities in the town of Raqqa.

Turkey occupied the towns of Tal Abyad and Serekaniye in October 2019 after a major offensive against the Kurdish-led SDF.

The SDF claimed that ISIS is now using both towns as a base to carry out attacks against the SDF controlled territories, like Raqqa.