SDF Frees Abducted Fighters in Deir ez-Zor, Launches Operation Against ISIS Cell
The Deir ez-Zor Military Council freed 4 SDF members kidnapped at a medical facility, vowing to eliminate the ISIS-linked cell. Operations continue amid tensions with pro-government forces accused of facilitating attacks in eastern Syria.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Deir ez-Zor Military Council, affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), announced on Thursday that it had successfully freed four of its fighters who were abducted by a cell suspected of ties to the ISIS terrorist organization.
The fighters had been kidnapped last Wednesday while receiving medical treatment at a health center in the town of Gharanij, east of Deir ez-Zor, during an off-duty errand. The SDF confirmed that all abductees were liberated in a precise military operation and vowed to continue its security campaign until the entire terrorist cell is dismantled.
In its statement, the Deir Ezzor Military Council underscored that the rescue marks only the beginning of its ongoing campaign.
“Our forces continue their security operation until all members of the terrorist cell are fully eliminated,” the council said, stressing that any threat against its personnel or the region’s residents will be met with a decisive response.
The SDF reiterated that its operations are designed to safeguard stability in eastern Syria (Western Kurdistan) and to ensure that ISIS remnants or their affiliates cannot re-establish footholds in the area.
The abduction last week unfolded when armed assailants surrounded the fighters inside a pharmacy in Gharanij. According to reports, the attackers killed and wounded some during clashes, while seizing a military vehicle accompanying the group.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the incident coincided with mortar shelling launched from the western bank of the Euphrates River—territory under Syrian government control—targeting SDF positions.
The incident triggered immediate SDF counter-operations, which initially resulted in the killing of one attacker and the wounding of three others. Two abducted members were released shortly thereafter, while four remained in captivity until Thursday’s rescue.
SOHR said that tensions have mounted over suspicions that the attackers may have operated under the orders of Hatem Abu Shaqra, commander of the Syrian army’s 86th Brigade. Sources allege that Abu Shaqra has been facilitating Iranian operatives and members of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Deir ez-Zor, activities that reportedly prompted U.S. officials to demand his departure from the region.
With ISIS cells still active and regional actors accused of stoking instability, the SDF has vowed to intensify its operations.
“The defense of our people and our land is our sacred duty,” the council affirmed, warning that any hostile actions will be met with overwhelming force.
