Coalition and SDF Arrest Three ISIS Militants in Northern Raqqa Amid Intensifying Counter-Terror Efforts

By Ahora Qadi

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In a coordinated night raid, international coalition forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) arrested three suspected members of the Islamic State (ISIS) during an airborne operation in northern Raqqa, security officials confirmed early Friday.

The operation, which took place just after midnight, targeted a location believed to be harboring ISIS operatives. The mission was executed under heavy aerial surveillance, with the surrounding area fully encircled to prevent any escape or resistance.

According to a statement issued by the coalition, the raid is part of a renewed and systematic campaign to neutralize ISIS sleeper cells that continue to pose a major threat across the territories of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES).

The joint operation in Raqqa follows a parallel assault earlier this week in the Deir ez-Zor countryside, where coalition and Free Syrian Army forces conducted an airborne strike in Jebel al-Bishri. That mission reportedly killed several senior ISIS leaders, whose identities have yet to be confirmed.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) indicated that the Deir ez-Zor raid came after more than a week of intensive surveillance, with intelligence suggesting that high-ranking members of the group were scheduled to convene in the area.

According to SOHR, the mission also resulted in the seizure of documents believed to include strategic information about ISIS movements and future operations in the Syrian desert.

ISIS Attacks Intensify Across Western Kurdistan

The recent operations follow a marked escalation in ISIS attacks across DAANES-controlled areas. On June 1, three members of the Internal Security Forces (Asayish) were killed when their patrol vehicle struck a landmine planted by ISIS militants on the Raqqa-Hasaka highway. One other officer was injured in the blast.

The Asayish described the incident as part of a broader uptick in ISIS aggression targeting civilian and security infrastructure, particularly in the vicinity of al-Hol, rural Raqqa, and Hasaka.

Since the beginning of 2025, SOHR has documented 104 ISIS attacks within DAANES territory. These include ambushes, assassinations, and bombings, resulting in the deaths of 40 individuals—among them 27 members of the SDF and affiliated units, 8 ISIS militants, and 5 civilians.

In Raqqa province alone, seven attacks have been confirmed this year, killing five members of local security forces and injuring eight others.

ISIS Expands Targets Beyond Kurdish Territory

ISIS has also begun expanding its operations beyond the Northeast Syria (Western Kurdistan). On May 30, the group claimed responsibility for its first direct assault on Syria’s transitional government, which assumed power following the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

That attack, conducted in Suwayda province, involved an improvised explosive device targeting a patrol of the Syrian Army’s 70th Division, killing one soldier and injuring three. The SITE Intelligence Group and SOHR both verified ISIS’s involvement, marking a dangerous new phase in the group’s campaign.

Persistent Threat Demands Vigilance

Although ISIS lost its territorial caliphate in 2019 through military campaigns led primarily by Kurdish forces and backed by the international coalition, the group retains a formidable presence through decentralized cells. These elements continue to undermine regional stability, especially in areas recovering from conflict.

Friday’s operation underscores the ongoing need for vigilance and cooperation between local forces and international partners to confront the evolving insurgency. Kurdish officials and security experts have reiterated calls for sustained global support to counter the reconstitution of ISIS across Syria.