Abdi says Turkish-Iranian strikes on NE Syria increase ISIS activity
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Turkish airstrikes and Iranian-backed militias’ attacks on Northeast Syria have led to a spike in the activity of the Islamic State group (ISIS), Mazloum Abdi, Commander in Chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Thursday.
Briefing journalists in Washington via Zoom through a translator, Abdi said frequent Turkish airstrikes on civilian infrastructure facilities, and Iranian-backed militias’ attacks on the SDF and Global Coalition’s bases in eastern Syria have hindered their fight against ISIS.
He indicated that most of the income of Northeast Syria comes from the oil fields, but since all the locations were hit by Turkey, more than half of the region’s budget has been lost.
Abdi expressed his concern over F-16 fighter jets that the Biden administration is expected to sell them to Turkey, and that Turkey may use them against his fighters.
The SDF Commander in Chief pointed out that the short-term goal for ISIS leadership is to free their inmates held in prisons in northeast Syria and then to take back control of the areas they once held.
He warned that escalating attacks in the Middle East by Iranian-backed militias are also providing an opportunity for ISIS to rebuild its strength.
On Feb. 5, an Iranian-backed militia launched a suicide drone attack on a training academy for the SDF commando forces in al-Omar Oil Field in the countryside of Deir ez-Zor, eastern Syria. The attack resulted in the killing of six SDF fighters.
Abdi said the attacks are aimed at trying to push the U.S. troops out of the region.
Since the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, 2023, Iranian-backed militias have intensified attacks against U.S. bases in Syria and Iraq. An attack on a U.S. base in northeast Jordan led to the killing of three American servicemen late in January.
“We’ve seen that the main goal behind these attacks on our joint bases — SDF and international coalition bases — is to force the U.S. and coalition forces to withdraw from Syria,” Abdi said.