ISIS carried out triple attacks in northeast Syria: RIC

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Syria-based Rojava Information Centre (RIC) on Wednesday said that October saw an uptick in ISIS sleeper cell attacks coinciding with an intense Turkish airstrike campaign that lasted one week, according to a report issued by the Centre.

The RIC said the sleeper cell attacks in October almost tripled in number compared to the month before.

“ISIS sleeper cells carried out 17 attacks this month, killing 13 SDF and Asayish personnel and injuring 8, as well as killing 3 civilians and injuring 1,” the RIC said.

Read More: Turkey should urgently stop targeting critical infrastructure in northeast Syria: HRW

The RIC said this came amidst a wave of Turkish air and drone strikes in the north between Oct. 5-10, and Iranian-backed armed groups attacking the SDF in Deir ez-Zor.

“[The] ISIS sleeper cells applied extra pressure to the region. Of the 17 documented attacks carried out by ISIS sleeper cells, 12 occurred in Deir ez-Zor,” the report said.

Moreover, the RIC said that Iranian-backed armed groups increased missile and drone attacks on U.S. bases in northeastern Syria amidst the conflict between Hamas and Israel.

The RIC also said that the SDF conducted 8 raids targeting ISIS sleeper cells, resulting in 28 arrests, including the arrest of Muhannad al-Dandah in Raqqa on Oct. 26.

Al-Dandah was accused of being responsible for sending intelligence to the cells in order to carry out attacks.

Moreover, on Oct. 30, the SDF said they arrested an ISIS suspect that attempted to plant an improvised explosive device (IED).