ISIS exploits SDF’s suspending of operations to reemerge in Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Islamic State Organization (ISIS) publicized on Friday, through close media outlets, photos for its militants carrying weapons nearby an armored vehicle in Syria days after Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) suspended its operations against the organization.
SDF announced suspending its mission against ISIS due to the latest Turkish escalation in the SDF-held areas.
On Nov. 23 Ferhad Shami, head of the SDF Media Center, quoted the forces’ Commander in Chief Mazloum Abdi as saying, “Due to our forces’ preoccupation with addressing the Turkish occupation, they cannot continue their mission of pursuing ISIS cells. Currently, we’re forced to be preoccupied with confronting Turkish aggression.”
Since November 20, Turkish forces have carried out hundreds areal and ground attacks along the border strip north and northeast Syria, targeting civilians, military personnel of the SDF and the Syrian government forces in addition to striking infrastructures.
The photos presented ISIS militants with four-by-four vehicles, and light and heavy weapons.
The media outlets said the photos presented the incident of swearing allegiance to the ISIS new leader, Abi al-Hassan al-Hussein al-Qurashi, after the former leader was killed.
On Nov. 30, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the death of the ISIS leader, Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, by the Free Syrian Army (FSA) in Daraa Governorate, southwest Syria.
Earlier on the same day, the organization’s media affiliate al-Furqan aired an audio by the group’s spokesman Abu Omar al-Muhajer, announcing the death of al-Hassan al-Hashimi.
The group named Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurayshi as new leader.
In the past two days, ISIS-run Amaq news agency publicized photos for the group’s militants in each of Egypt, Uganda, West Africa and Iraq, swearing allegiance to the new Emir of the organization.