SDF Captures 51 ISIS Members in Hasakah Sweep
SDF captures 51 ISIS members in Hasakah operation, seizing weapons and ammunition. The sweep targeted sleeper cells threatening civilians and detention centers. The US-backed force remains key in counter-ISIS efforts.
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced on Saturday, that their units had arrested 51 individuals linked to ISIS sleeper cells during a sweeping operation in Hasakah and its surrounding areas. The campaign, conducted in coordination with the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) and supported by the Internal Security Forces, also led to the seizure of a significant cache of weapons and ammunition.
In a statement, the SDF confirmed that the mission was launched to dismantle ISIS networks whose activities were increasingly threatening civilian life, with particular concern for detention centers and prisons housing thousands of ISIS members.
The operation drew on intelligence support from the SDF Military Operations Team (TOL), which provided precise information ensuring that only ISIS militants and their affiliates were targeted. Commanders emphasized that safeguarding the civilian population was a central priority.
This latest operation comes just days after the SDF repelled an assault by Damascus-backed armed groups in the Deir Ez-zor countryside. On Aug. 25, the SDF said that government-affiliated fighters attacked a post of the al-Kasra Military Council in al-Junaynah, using BKC machine guns and drones. Five SDF fighters were wounded in the clashes before Kurdish forces repelled the assault.
The SDF described the incident as a deliberate attempt by Damascus to destabilize the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) at a time of increased ISIS activity. “Such treacherous attacks will not deter us from fulfilling our duty,” the force declared, holding the Syrian government directly responsible.
The fight against ISIS in northeastern Syria (Western Kurdistan) remains closely tied to international dynamics. In an interview on Friday, U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Ambassador Tom Barrack reaffirmed Washington’s distinction between the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the SDF.
“Turkey has PKK, which again is a stated foreign terrorist organization within Turkey. The U.S. also has claimed the PKK as a foreign terrorist organization. There is another organization which is no longer affiliated with PKK, the SDF and YPG, which have been our allies in the de-ISIS campaign,” Barrack said. He noted that while the SDF’s origins trace back to the PKK, the group now functions independently as Washington’s principal partner in the anti-ISIS mission.
His remarks directly challenge Ankara’s portrayal of Syrian Kurds, underscoring the SDF’s central role in maintaining stability in the region.
The SDF, backed by the U.S.-led Global Coalition, has repeatedly stressed that ISIS remains a persistent threat despite the territorial defeat of the group. Sleeper cells continue to operate in rural areas, attempting to regroup and launch attacks against both security forces and civilians.
Saturday’s arrests mark one of the largest anti-ISIS operations in recent months, underscoring the determination of Kurdish-led forces to protect northeastern Syria from renewed insurgent activity.
As regional tensions intensify—whether through ISIS attacks or provocations by Damascus-backed factions—the SDF has reiterated its commitment to both counter-terrorism and the defense of the multi-ethnic, self-governing regions of North and East Syria.
Updated on Aug. 31, 2025, at 6:55 PM.
