In Joint Operation, SDF and Coalition Dismantle ISIS Cell in Deir al-Zor
The SDF said it dismantled an ISIS cell in eastern Deir al-Zor during a coalition-backed security operation in Dhiban, killing three members and arresting five others accused of planning attacks and handling explosives.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The Syrian Democratic Forces announced the dismantling of what they described as a dangerous ISIS terrorist cell during a security operation carried out in eastern Deir al-Zor with the support of the international coalition.
In a statement, the SDF said its Military Operations Teams (TOL), backed by the U.S.-led international coalition forces, conducted a precise security operation on Sunday in the town of Dhiban in the eastern Deir al-Zor countryside. The operation resulted in the dismantling of what the SDF described as a high-risk ISIS cell.
According to the statement, the operation followed the completion of intelligence gathering related to the cell’s movements and activities. SDF forces imposed a tight security cordon around the location and called on the suspects to surrender. The statement said the cell’s members responded by opening fire, leading to clashes.
The SDF said the clashes resulted in the killing of three ISIS members and the arrest of five others. Those detained were identified as Mazen al-Sarih, known as “Abu Wafi,” Fadi al-Sarih, known as “Abu Mamoun,” Madin al-Salem, Alawi Abdul Rahman, known as “Ali,” and Amjad al-Sarih, known as “Abu Ali.”
Investigations showed that the cell had been active in transporting and manufacturing explosives and improvised explosive devices, preparing car bombs, and planning attacks targeting military points, civilians, and service institutions, according to the statement.
The SDF said it will continue its security operations to pursue ISIS cells and strike the group’s infrastructure, with the stated aim of strengthening security and stability and eliminating terrorism from the area.
The operation in Deir al-Zor comes as counterterrorism activity against ISIS continues across Syria. On Sunday, Syrian internal security forces announced the arrest of the leader of an ISIS cell and six of its members in the Daraya area of Rural Damascus following what authorities described as a tightly coordinated security operation.
According to a statement by the Internal Security Command in Rural Damascus, specialized units working with the General Intelligence Service carried out a precise raid on an ISIS hideout, seizing weapons and ammunition prepared for use in attacks. Syrian officials said the operation was conducted with measures in place to ensure civilian safety.
These actions follow intensified operations against ISIS after a Dec. 13 attack in Palmyra, where two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed. Subsequent US-led strikes targeted dozens of ISIS sites across central Syria, as part of ongoing efforts to deny the group safe havens.
Despite its territorial defeat, ISIS continues to operate through clandestine cells, particularly in desert regions, prompting continued security and military operations by local and international forces.
The dismantling of the ISIS cell in eastern Deir al-Zor underscores ongoing efforts by the SDF, alongside coalition partners, to disrupt the group’s remaining networks and prevent planned attacks amid a volatile security environment.