ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced on Sunday the arrest of dozens of individuals, including members linked to the Islamic State (ISIS), during a major security operation in Syria’s north-central Raqqa province.
In a statement, the SDF said its “Commando Units, alongside the Operations Forces and Anti-Terrorism Units (HAT) of the Internal Security Forces [Asayish],” carried out a "carefully planned and extensive security campaign" near the town of al-Hisha, east of Ain Issa in Raqqa's northern countryside.
“The operation led to the arrest of 71 individuals, including elements linked to ISIS” and individuals who are involved in “organized crime networks that loot, steal and traffic drugs.”
The SDF also said it captured individuals who were engaged in efforts to “destabilize local security and threaten civilian safety.”
The Kurdish-led forces also seized a cache of arms and ammunition, as well as “materials used to carry out violent and terrorist acts.” The SDF noted that the operation undermines the ability of these cells to “harm security and civil peace,” affirming commitment to “continued field and intelligence efforts to pursue the remnants of ISIS and dismantle organized crime networks that thrive at the expense of citizens' lives and property.”
The operation comes days after the SDF had on Tuesday captured a senior ISIS commander in Syria’s eastern Deir ez-Zor province after clashes with the group.
“Our SDF’s Hajin Military Council captured a leader of an ISIS terrorist cell in the town of Darnach, Deir ez-Zor’s eastern countryside, following a clash that resulted in his injury and capture,” the force said in a statement, adding that the cell had attempted an attack on one of its security checkpoints in the area.
Backed by the United States, the SDF functions as the de facto military force in northeast Syria (Rojava) and remains a key partner of the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.
Since its territorial defeat in Syria in 2019, ISIS has been trying to regain its strength, particularly after a coalition of opposition groups - led by the now-dissolved Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - in early December toppled the regime of longtime Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.
In mid-September, the SDF reported that ISIS had carried out more than 153 attacks in Rojava since December.