ISIS activities ‘dramatically’ dropped in Syria, Iraq: Coalition

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Islamic State (ISIS) activities in Syria and Iraq have significantly decreased since the beginning of the New Year, said the anti-ISIS global coalition commander on Monday, describing the latest Islamic holy month of Ramadan as “one of the most peaceful.”

“Thanks to the efforts of our partners, supported by the coalition, we have seen a dramatic decrease in Daesh or ISIS activity and effectiveness across our area of operations,” said the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve (‎CJTF-OIR) Commander Major General Matthew McFarlane during an online press briefing on Monday. 

“Since the beginning of this year in Iraq - so that’s January 1 to the first week of April - we have seen a record of a 68 percent reduction in attacks when compared to the same period last year. In Syria, where our partners - the Syrian Democratic Forces - continue to lead the fight against Daesh, we recorded a 55 percent decrease during the same time from last year,” added the commander. 

The Kurdish-led SDF has recently carried out several raids and operations against ISIS in eastern Syria, arresting many suspects. 

SDF and the coalition forces detained Mohammed al-Sayid, a proven ISIS operative, in a “successful execution” earlier this month, said the coalition in a statement at the time, adding that Sayid was “known for leading several ISIS cells” that broadened the terror group’s operations.

ISIS seized control of swathes of Syria in 2014 but the group was declared territorially defeated in 2019 after the SDF overran its last bastion in Baghouz. However, the terror group continues to pose a serious risk in the region through hit-and-run attacks, abductions, and bombings. 

The multi-nation coalition, formed in 2014, has provided training and military support to the SDF, Peshmerga and Iraqi army. 
 
SDF on Wednesday announced the arrest of a former ISIS leader near Deir ez-Zor, accusing him of transporting ammunition and money to the active cells of the group. 

US Central Command said last Monday that its forces killed an ISIS senior leader, Abd-al-Hadi Mahmud al-Haji Ali who was an “operational planner responsible for planning terror attacks in the Middle East and Europe.” Two ISIS operatives were also killed in the operation which took place in northern Syria. 

Major General McFarlane said during Monday’s briefing that the latest Ramadan, which ended on Thursday, was “one of the most peaceful” ones.

“When I say attacks, a reduction in attacks, I am talking about opportunities and engagements - so relatively small from one to few individuals. ISIS has failed to organise or coordinate anything more than that over the past year,” he noted.