ISIS sleeper cells prohibit movement at night in the Syrian Desert
Raqqa – North-Press Agency
Sam al-Ahmad
The roads linking the southern countryside of Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor governorates and the western countryside of Raqqa and Homs countryside with the area of al-Sukhnah, penetrating the Syrian Desert (al-Badiya) have become unsafe and dangerous. The sleeper cells of the Islamic State terrorist group (ISIS) are active in these sprawling areas, attacking the roads suddenly, killing and kidnapping those who pass through.
According to Dahham Mohammed al-Shibli, a resident of al-Sukhnah, south of Raqqa and one of its elders told North-Press that the activity of these terrorist sleeper cells have recently increased after the Turkish military invasion in north-eastern Syria. Al-Shibli considered that the Turkish invasion in the region has the biggest role in reviving ISIS sleeper cells. Al-Shibli said that the roads to Hama countryside, Homs countryside and even Deir ez-Zor have become full of ISIS cells, which consider any movement in these areas as a target, whether military or civilian.
He told North-Press that there were incidents during the recent period, where six civilians (four men and two women) disappeared on the road between al-Zmala area of Raqqa and al-Sukhnah, who were transporting their cargo and sheep to al-Badiya in eastern Homs countryside, noting that they had not found any of them, while their fate is still unknown. For these reasons, traveling at night is a risky and unpleasant venture for the people living in the southern countryside of Raqqa, especially those who want to go to Deir ez-Zor, Homs or even Hama.
People prefer to travel during the day hours and in groups where the Syrian government military patrols comb the roads because "ISIS rarely appears during the day, especially since it works in small cells and uses the tactic of attack and retreat," said Mohammed al-Hassan, a security operative for the Syrian government forces. Al-Hassan told North-Press that when ISIS members appear at night, they strike any target and attack points located in the desert areas and on the outskirts of remote villages and towns.
He also pointed out that the terrorist group of ISIS is working systematically through the intensification of its attacks, in conjunction with the Turkish attacks and bombardment on northeastern areas of Syria, as if there is some kind of coordination between Turkey and ISIS.
On the other hand, Abdul Hamid al-Abdullah, a resident of al-Zamla town in the desert of Raqqa said that they were recently attacked by armed groups believed to be affiliated with ISIS, but they were able to repel the attackers who were intending to seize the herds of livestock in the south of the town. Al-Abdullah said they are cooperating with the Syrian government forces in conducting intensive patrols on the outskirts of the Syrian Desert to al-Sukhnah area. He noted that the terrorist group of ISIS is still present in many remote areas, particularly in the desert and areas that are difficult to be secured due to its difficult terrain and breadth.