SDF, Coalition forces capture four ISIS members In Raqqa
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced on Saturday the arrest of four members of the Islamic State (ISIS) during a coordinated security operation with the US-led Global Coalition in the city of Raqqa, northern Syria.
In an official statement, the SDF said its units “conducted a precise security operation in the city of Raqqa, in coordination with the forces of the International Coalition, which resulted in the arrest of four members of the terrorist organization ISIS.” The statement added that the raid was planned on the basis of prior intelligence about an active ISIS cell operating inside the city.
The SDF noted that its forces stormed the cell’s location “without recording any injuries among civilians or the participating forces,” underscoring that the operation was carried out under strict rules to avoid harm to residents in the densely populated urban area.
According to the statement, the joint SDF–Coalition force seized weapons and communication devices at the site, which were allegedly used to support “terrorist activities.” The confiscated equipment included small arms and digital tools believed to have been used for coordination and information transfer within the cell. Similar joint security raids in Raqqa and its countryside have recently led to the arrest of ISIS operatives accused of planning attacks against SDF units and Coalition forces.
During initial interrogations, the four detainees “confessed to their involvement in collecting intelligence information on the positions and points of our military forces, planning attacks, and maintaining contact with ISIS leaders to provide them with information,” the SDF said. The force added that the suspects were part of an effort to reorganize sleeper cells in the region.
The SDF described the raid as part of a “continuous campaign” aimed at disrupting ISIS capabilities and preventing the group from reactivating its clandestine network in areas under the governance of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). Raqqa, once the de facto capital of ISIS in Syria, has remained a focus of counterterrorism operations due to the continued presence of sleeper cells.