DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syria (North Press) – Media outlets of both the Islamic State Organization (ISIS) and those of the Syrian government that publicize operations carried out by pro-government “Public Resistance Factions” claim responsibility for attacks and killing operations in Deir ez-Zor, east Syria in the same time.
In December 2021, ISIS claimed responsibility for attacking two checkpoints of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) with machineguns and grenades in the towns of Theban and Suwaydan, east of Deir ez-Zor.
It was proceeded by a media release by the government outlets with the so-called “Public Resistance Factions” claiming responsibility for the attack.
In November 2021, government media outlets publicized a news in which “Public Resistance Factions” claimed responsibility for attacking an SDF checkpoint and killing an SDF fighter in the town of Abu Hamam, east of Deir ez-Zor, hours later it was followed by a media release by ISIS claiming responsibility for the same operation.
ISIS claims responsibility for operations through Amaq News Agency on Telegram app.
Areas in Deir ez-Zor witness successive attacks against civil employees of Deir ez-Zor civil council and fighters of SDF with either ISIS or the Syrian government claiming responsibility for them through close media outlets.
The countryside of Deir ez-Zor witnesses broad-scale assassinations targeting SDF members, employees of the civil administration, notables, or civilians.
Map of control
Euphrates River in Deir ez-Zor separates between the SDF-held areas east of the river and those of the government forces and Iranian-backed factions west of it, while ISIS actively operates on both banks of the river and particularly in the eastern countryside.
Meanwhile, recruitment and protests against SDF in northeast Syria, according to the government, is a popular resistance.
Those factions [Public Resistance Factions] are not present in the region rather they are either ISIS sleeper cells or local residents calling for improving service conditions in the region, according to field followers.
Head of Hajin Military Council, which operates under the command of the SDF, Ibrahim al-Jassem, denied the presence of the so-called Public Resistance Factions in northeast Syria.
Most of the operations that occur in Deir ez-Zor especially in the eastern countryside are carried out under command of groups affiliated with the government forces and Iranian-backed factions through individuals not factions as the Syrian government outlets publicize, according to al-Jassem.
Polarizing groups
The Syrian government, through claiming responsibility for these operations, aims to hit stability in the region even if they were carried out by either ISIS sleeper cells or Turkish intelligence groups, al-Jassem noted.
In December 2021, the SDF released a statement refuting the news published by SANA, Syrian government official news agency, concerning SDF operations to retaliate the residents who refuse to undergo the settlement process.
“Such lies are but attempts to attract terrorist cells to strike the security and stability in the region,” the statement added.
“SANA shows fighters of ISIS to be civilians on purpose in order to mislead the public,” the SDF said referring to the ‘Public Resistance Factions’.
In October 2021, an agent of the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) called Jamil Hassan al-Rahim, was arrested in Deir ez-Zor, east Syria, Media Center of SDF said.
The SDF Media Center shared a video footage in which al-Rahim talks about his work with the MIT.
Al-Jassem said that their intensive operation to pursue ISIS sleeper cells in Deir ez-Zor in coordination with the US-led Global Coalition will continue until they sweep the organization completely.
The terrorist operation in Deir ez-Zor, according to military evaluation, are 30% carried out by ISIS sleeper cells, 20% by Turkish groups, and 50% by groups affiliated with the government and pro-Iran factions.
During 2021, the SDF carried out 42 pursuing operations of ISIS sleeper cells and arrested some of them,” al-Jassem added.
During 2021, about 802 individuals belonging to ISIS sleeper cells, suspects, or ISIS collaborators were arrested, SDF revealed in its annual report.
“As well as 47 ISIS military operations were thwarted in their final stages, 93 ISIS cells were dismantled,” according to the SDF statement.
ISIS continues its operations threatening safety and stability in areas northeast Syria, and this was clear in speech of the SDF Command-in-Chief, Mazloum Abdi during a meeting between SDF General Command and the Deir ez-Zor Civil Council, dignitaries and sheikhs.
In regard to ISIS threats, Abdi indicated, “ISIS is defeated but its threats remain. Comparing ISIS threats in our region with that in the neighboring countries, our situation is better.”
In October 2021, unknown individuals killed a tribal figure and injured a sheikh by targeting their car in a town in the western countryside of Deir ez-Zor, eastern Syria.
Deir ez-Zor, in the past few months, has witnessed a new method in carrying out assassinations by either ISIS sleeper cells or other parties, a high ranking military source of SDF told North Press under the condition of anonymity.
The new method is based on targeting civilians or members of security and military institutions in a way indicates that it is vendetta aiming at sowing sedition among tribes of the region.
As it mainly aims to impede efforts of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) in strengthening security and stability in Syria’s northeast, according to the source.