By Zana al-Ali
RAQQA, Syria (North Press)— Activists and journalists in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, eastern Syria, unanimously agreed that the disguise of “Tribes Forces” brought together militants from Iranian-backed militias and others from the Islamic State (ISIS), a prearranged coordination between both parties in their war against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
They stated that ISIS militants had coordinated with the National Defense Forces (NDF), affiliated with the Syrian government forces, and Iranian-backed militias to ensure the Global Coalition did not interfere in the recent clashes in Deir ez-Zor.
On Aug. 27, the SDF launched a military operation called “Security Reinforcement” with the support of the US-led Global Coalition on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, specifically in Deir ez-Zor, “to eradicate ISIS sleeper cells, pursue criminals responsible for perpetrating injustices against the local population, and to track down smugglers who exploit the populace’s livelihoods.”
On Aug. 30, the SDF announced the removal of Deir ez-Zor Military Council commander, Ahmad al-Khabil, also known as Abu Khawla, from his position. The decision came due to his involvement in various crimes, violations, and negative actions, including communicating and coordinating with external entities, committing criminal offenses, engaging in drug trafficking, mismanaging the security situation, and contributing to the rise of ISIS activities.
The operation led to the eruption of clashes between the SDF and gunmen affiliated with the dismissed leader and with Nawaf Ragheb al-Bashir, the head of al-Baggara Tribe, whose groups are active in the western bank of the Euphrates which is under the control of the Syrian government forces and Iranian-backed militias.
During approximately 10 days of tensions in Deir ez-Zor, ISIS activities were conspicuously absent, despite the fact that the area had been a hub for ISIS attacks, especially in the three famous towns of Shuhail, Diban, and al-Busayrah in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor.
These three villages are known as the Bermuda triangle, where ISIS militants publicly appeared during daytime. Pro-ISIS support slogans and banners were common, in addition to the group imposing its rules among the population through flyers and threats.
Despite the security tension that prevailed in Deir ez-Zor following the arrest of Abu Khawla by the SDF as part of its operation “Security Reinforcement” and their clashes with armed individuals, particularly in the three aforementioned towns, ISIS did not appear publicly, specifically in Deir ez-Zor, as was customary prior to recent events. The group’s militants used to carry out daily attacks against SDF posts.
On Sep. 15, ISIS revealed the toll of attacks it claimed to have carried out in the past week in Iraq, and other regions in Africa and Asia.
However, the group did not claim responsibility for any attacks in Syria for the past three weeks, which clearly contrasted with the preceding period in which it conducted several attacks in Syria each week.
Secret Meeting
A journalist monitoring Iran’s activities in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor said that approximately two months ago, “a meeting took place in the Sholah desert in the west of Deir ez-Zor between ISIS leaders and officers of the Syrian Intelligence, specifically the Military Security forces.”
The journalist, who resides in areas east of the Euphrates River and preferred to remain unnamed, told North Press, “Although we could not ascertain the content or objective of the meeting at the time, its outcomes became evident through the subsequent attack on the SDF.”
The journalist explained the absence of ISIS militants, who would typically take advantage of such opportunities, in areas that experience acts of vandalism and security chaos. “The [Syrian] regime gave clear orders to ISIS not to get involved in the events of Deir ez-Zor to ensure the Global Coalition does not intervene.”
As for the second objective for meeting, the journalist said, “the regime seeks to gain territorial advantages, including control over several areas, under the pretext that the controlling forces are tribe members.”
The reason for ISIS’ inactivity was due to the meetings between the extremist group and Iran, to prevent the intervention of the Global Coalition, he added.
Since 2014 and beginning from Kobani, the US-led Global Coalition has been combating ISIS and maintained a presence in the region, stressing repeatedly that the Coalition will not leave until achieving the enduring defeat of ISIS.
The US has not directly addressed the events in Deir ez-Zor, but only stated the need of maintaining security and stability in northeastern Syria and continuing its support for the SDF in its war against ISIS.
On the other hand, SDF’s Commander-in-Chief, Mazloum Abdi, said on the eighth day of Operation Security Reinforcement, “The Global Coalition provided air support against the gunmen in Deir ez-Zor.”
ISIS coordinates with Iran
Qays Ali, a pseudonym for a journalist who follows up and documents ISIS attacks in the region, said that during 2023 the radical group carried out more than 160 attacks in Syria, mostly in the northeast of the country.
According to the Monitoring and Documentation Department of North Press, ISIS has conducted 165 attacks in Syria in 2023, claiming responsibility for 84. As for 2022, the group claimed responsibility for 185 attacks against the SDF and civilians in areas held by the Autonomous Administration of North and east Syria (AANES). Most of these attacks were carried out in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor. In 2021, it claimed reasonability for 31 attacks.
Ali told North Press the coordination between ISIS and Iran to target northeastern Syria during the recent events in Deir ez-Zor was at a high level.
What prompted the journalist to speculate coordination between Iranian-backed militias and ISIS militants in Deir ez-Zor was seeing ISIS militants, “who had been hiding for years, suddenly appear alongside militants from Usud al-Sharqiya (Lions of the East) faction [affiliated with the Syrian government forces] and the NDF, fighting together against the SDF in Deir ez-Zor.”
The Usud al-Sharqiya was initially affiliated with the opposition’s Free Syrian Army (FSA) in 2014 but later became affiliated with the Syrian government forces and hence with Iran.
On Sep. 8, the SDF announced the end of their military operations in Deir ez-Zor, which began on Aug. 27.