ISIS suspects released in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor
DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syria (North Press) – A special source from the Internal Security Forces (Asayish) stated that eight detainees suspected of being affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS) were released on Saturday after an agreement with local tribal guarantors.
The source further told North Press that the suspects were arrested from areas in both the east and the west of Deir ez-Zor countryside.
Earlier on August 30, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) released 18 detainees suspected of affiliation with ISIS under a tribal guarantee.
The SDF launched the Deterrence of Terrorism campaign pursue and track ISIS cells in the eastern desert of Syria along the Khabur River and the Syrian-Iraqi border, in cooperation with the Global Coalition forces and the Iraqi army.
SDF arrested 141 suspected ISIS agents during the campaign, including a prominent leader.
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.
Northeastern Syria has witnessed ISIS activity tied to sleeper cells in the region, including a series of attacks which resulted in the death of an SDF fighter on May 17 in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor.
A major ISIS prison in Hasakah has also witnessed repeated unrest as ISIS detainees attempted to take control of the prison, though anti-terror security forces associated with the SDF quickly controlled these uprisings.
(Reporting by Roha Muhammad)