SDF captures senior ISIS leader in Deir ez-Zor
DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syria (North Press) – The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced on Sunday the capture of a senior leader in the Islamic State (ISIS) in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, eastern Syria.
In an official statement, the SDF said that its Military Operations Teams (MOT), supported by the U.S.-led Global Coalition, carried out a “a precise and targeted security operation” on Friday targeting a high-ranking ISIS figure.
The suspect, identified as Hamoud Abdullah al-Khatib—also known as Abu Zakaria—was captured after his movements were closely monitored.
According to the statement, al-Khatib served as the head of an ISIS cell focused on extorting money from civilians under the guise of collecting zakat, often using threats and force.
The SDF also seized a large cache of weapons and ammunition during the operation.