SDF arrests 7 suspected ISIS members in joint operation with coalition in northern Syria

Caption: SDF fighters with a suspected ISIS member north of Deir ez-Zor – North Press

NORTHEASTERN SYRIA (North Press) – On Friday, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) arrested 7 individuals suspected of collaborating with the Islamic State (ISIS) in the towns of al-Sur, north of Deir ez-Zor, and Murkada, south of Hasakah on the Iraqi-Syrian border.

 

SDF Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi tweeted  that “We achieved successive victories in our campaign against ISIS cells in [Deir ez-Zor] & Hasakah” on Saturday. His tweet explained that both the Turkish invasion of North and East Syria in October 2019 and the emergence of the coronavirus had emboldened the terror group, and stressed that the Global Coalition has a duty to support the SDF in fighting ISIS.

 

 

We achieved successive victories in our campaign against ISIS cells in Deir arZour & Hasakah. ISIS revitalised & increased its brutality after the Turkish invasion & COVID-19 pandemic. The Coalition has a duty to continue support to our forces to eliminate the growing ISIS threat pic.twitter.com/nhanewe22e

— Mazloum Abdî مظلوم عبدي (@MazloumAbdi) June 6, 2020

 

On Thursday, SDF arrested more than fifteen alleged ISIS members in southeastern Hasakah and northeastern Deir ez-Zor, in the triangle between Dashisha, Murkada, and al-Sur, according to a military source from the SDF.

ISIS sleeper cells have been active in the region since their defeat, but recent events, mainly the US troop withdrawal in January 2019 and subsequent Turkish invasion of the Sere Kaniye and Tel Abyad regions in October of the same year, led to a security vacuum which emboldened the group. Last year, former Special Envoy to the Global Coalition Against ISIS Brett McGurk stated that “the Islamic State and other extremist groups will fill the void opened by [the US] departure.”

More than six thousand fighters are participating in the campaign, according to what SDF commander Adnan Afrin previously told North Press.

On Thursday, official SDF spokesperson Kino Gabriel told North Press that their campaign aims to “eliminate the threat of sleeper cells” and “restore security and stability” to the region.