On Wednesday, Kurdish security forces (Asayish) arrested 14 suspected Islamic State (IS) members in the Deir ez-Zor province in eastern Syria as part of a major military operation. The campaign comes amid an increase in IS attacks in the region.
“The operation, which took place with the support of the International Coalition on the ground and air, lasted for four days, accompanied by continuous flying of International Coalition planes over the airspace of the region, and the implementation of missile strikes targeting specific locations used by the cells of the organisation,” a statement released by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said. The text also mentions that the SDF searched the Wadi Al-Ajij region in Deir ez-Zor to uncover “the smuggling routes used by ISIS” to move from Syria to Iraq. The forces also discovered several IS hideouts and were able to detain several members suspected of being affiliated with the terrorist organisation.
The SDF is an alliance of mostly Kurdish and local Arab militias, and was a crucial part of the fight against IS, especially on the ground. They were backed with airstrikes by the ‘Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS’, which includes the United States (US), European Union (EU), Britain, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.
The raid on Deir ez-Zor comes amid an uptick in IS attacks on security forces in Syria and Iraq. A Peshmerga member was killed in a strike in the Diyala governorate in Iraq on Wednesday. The incident also resulted in injuries to two Popular Mobilisation Force (PMF) members. Earlier this month, the terrorist organisation was alleged to have gunned down a senior SDF commander in Syria and the group also claimed responsibility for an attack on Kirkuk, Iraq which blew up two oilfields.
As a result of the growing IS activities, civilians in the region have started to express fear about a potential return of the organisation. Villagers in Diyala are already abandoning their properties and fleeing to safer areas. According to Kurdish news agency Rudaw, people have blamed the government for a lack of initiative in combating the Islamic State. The agency claims that a “lack of coordination” between security forces has led to increased IS activities.
In a report submitted to the US Congress on Wednesday, the Pentagon expressed concerns about conditions in Iraq being “conducive to the resurgence of the Islamic State.” The report also stated that the presence of the Shi’ite PMF in Iraq and their alleged mistreatment of the local Sunni population could lead to a rise in support for IS. It further highlighted the fact that Sunni-dominated areas in Iraq “suffer from a lack of resources” and noted that no measures have been taken in this regard.
Although security forces have carried out numerous operations in the region to contain the rise of IS, their efforts have so far not been able to contain IS’ increasing ability to mount attacks.
Kurdish Forces Arrest 14 IS Suspects in Major Operation In Deir Ez-Zor
The operation comes amid an increase in Islamic State attacks in the region.
May 13, 2021
Kurdish security forces. SOURCE: NORTHERN SYRIA OBSERVER