The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) confirmed on Monday that ISIS, a recognized terrorist organization, is mobilizing its hidden forces across Syria, estimated to number around 10,000 fighters, to carry out new terrorist attacks. Since the beginning of this year, ISIS has significantly escalated its individual operations following a decline in its influence in previous years.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights recently warned that ISIS carried out 50 attacks within Syrian territories in January and February, resulting in over 100 civilian and military fatalities, as reported by Shafaq News. SDF spokesperson Simond Ali, in statements broadcasted by Kurdish media, mentioned the arrest of ISIS elements in Al-Hasakah, eastern Syria, indicating that the organization is initiating individual and collective operations targeting military forces, tribal leaders, and even employees of the autonomous administration. This suggests that ISIS remains capable of committing new crimes, with its forces beginning to regroup.
Although there are no precise numbers, estimates indicate that there are generally more than 10,000 ISIS fighters operating clandestinely in Syria. Despite being defeated in 2019 and losing control over significant territories in Syria and Iraq, which considerably weakened its strength, political and military levels continue to warn of the possibility of ISIS’s resurgence through individual attacks.
The resurgence of ISIS in Syria remains a significant concern, as recent reports indicate that the group has managed to regroup and intensify its attacks in various regions, particularly in the desert areas known as the Badia. This vast expanse, stretching from eastern Homs to the Euphrates and from the Iraqi border to southern Aleppo, has become a critical staging ground for ISIS insurgencies, leveraging the remote terrain to establish training camps, store weapons, and find refuge when pressured on other fronts. Despite significant regime, Russian, and Iranian military efforts, ISIS’s strategic aim in central Syria appears focused on defending these assets while disrupting the Syrian regime’s control over the region. The group’s persistence is attributed to various factors, including the ideological and socioeconomic conditions that originally facilitated its rise, the decentralized nature of its cells, and the diversion of security forces due to other regional priorities, such as the coronavirus pandemic.
ISIS’s presence isn’t confined to central Syria alone; it has also been reported in Turkish-backed rebel-held zones in northern Aleppo and areas controlled by Operation Peace Spring. The group exploits the disarray and competition among Syrian rebel factions, along with the fragmented security apparatus, to maintain transit routes and temporary sanctuaries. A U.S. airstrike in mid-July targeting a top ISIS commander in the northwest underscores the ongoing efforts to counter the group’s activities in the region.
