By Omar Abdurrahman
DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syria (North Press) – Syria’s vast and strategic Badia desert region, once a stronghold for the Islamic State (ISIS), is once again drawing concern as a deteriorating security situation sparks fears of a resurgence by the extremist group.
Following the collapse of the Assad regime’s central authority in the area, residents report a near-total absence of political governance and security, creating conditions ripe for renewed extremist activity. While ISIS no longer holds territory as it once did, locals say the group has adapted—shifting into smaller sleeper cells waiting for the right moment to strike.
“We lived in terror under ISIS, and though they were pushed out, chaos followed,” said Ali al-Ahmad (a pseudonym), a resident of al-Sukhna, a town between Palmyra and Deir ez-Zor. “There’s no real protection now. The lack of services and rampant unemployment are pushing young people toward extremism again.”
An Open desert, vulnerable to militancy
Others echo al-Ahmad’s concerns. Bilal al-Jundi, a resident near the western countryside of Deir ez-Zor, described the region as “wide open and unprotected,” especially after the withdrawal of government forces.
“They’ve focused only on urban centers, leaving the desert areas as a safe haven for ISIS cells,” he said. “We often see armed groups moving around, but we don’t know who they belong to.”
Frequent attacks on checkpoints, kidnappings, and arms smuggling underscore the lawlessness gripping the region, where jobless youth are increasingly susceptible to recruitment.
Services collapse, despair grows
In Palmyra, in Homs eastern countryside, Umm Ahmad spoke of enduring years of violence and instability. “First came the airstrikes, then ISIS’ harsh rule, and now we live with economic collapse. There’s no electricity, no clean water, no schools, and no security. Women are afraid to leave their homes,” she said.
She warned that ISIS could easily exploit the hopelessness. “People here need development projects, education, and a government that can enforce the law. If this neglect continues, extremists will find fertile ground again.”
According to Umm Ahmad, ISIS never fully disappeared; it simply adapted to the new reality. The transitional government, she said, has failed to assert control over the Badia, allowing militants to operate with relative freedom.
One family from Deir ez-Zor, displaced multiple times by both ISIS and former regime bombings, told North Press that they are determined not to flee again, despite the harsh conditions. “We’ve had no humanitarian aid, no services, but this is still our home. If the Badia remains ignored, ISIS will regroup,” the family said.
ISIS strategy
Ahmad al-Saleh, a human rights activist from Deir ez-Zor, believes that ISIS is employing a classic “hit-and-hide” strategy. “They rely on smuggling and desert networks, while local militias are preoccupied with political rivalries. The real danger is their tribal recruitment—offering cash or threats to gain fighters.”
He emphasized that a military defeat is not enough. “ISIS may not return in its previous form, but it could evolve into a long-term insurgency if root issues—poverty, injustice, and foreign meddling—remain unaddressed.”
Al-Saleh called for international support to deploy a capable security force, initiate tribal reconciliation, and secure the porous Iraqi border. “More than anything,” he added, “we need to break the cycle of poverty that gives rise to terrorism.”
Earlier this year, in February, Iraqi intelligence chief Hamid al-Shatri warned during the Baghdad Dialogue Conference of ongoing ISIS activity in the Syrian Badia.
Mazloum Abdi, Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), echoed similar concerns in an interview with The Times. He revealed that ISIS had taken advantage of the regime’s retreat from the Badia to stockpile weapons and establish strategic footholds.
Abdi added that their goal is to strike cities, and they have already taken steps to infiltrate the areas and monitor their movements.