Residents of Hasaka’s Shaddadi town fear return of ISIS

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The residents of Shaddadi town in northeast Syria’s Hasaka province have said they are afraid the Islamic State (ISIS) could return following the recent arrest of ISIS-affiliated individuals in the town. 

“They are present in the mountainous areas on the Iraq-Syria border. They carry out terror activities every one or two months. We fear that they [will] return,” Shaddadi resident Fawas Hamid told Rudaw on Tuesday. 

Shaddadi, around 100km north east of Deir ez-Zor, was a stronghold for ISIS after its capture in summer 2014. The town was liberated by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on February 19, 2016.

The city “served as a critical node for training, logistics and revenue and was the main supply artery between the ISIS capital Raqqa and the Iraqi city of Mosul,” according to to a report from the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.

Although ISIS was territorially defeated in Syria by the SDF, with the support of the global coalition, in March 2019, its sleeper cells are still present in areas bordering Iraq. This has created fear among the residents of Shaddadi, which lies near the border.

“Of course, there is fear. Now, the situation is calm, but if clashes happen things will change,” said local resident Rasul Hamedi.

Another resident, Zina Hasoun, said that she is also afraid of the return of the terror group. 

“Daesh is a terror group and we are afraid of them. They are very dangerous and radical,” said Aloush Ahmed, who also lives in Shaddadi, using the Arabic acronym for ISIS. 

The SDF announced on Tuesday the arrest of two people in the town accused of smuggling ISIS members between Syria and Iraq. The arrests were made three days after the SDF launched a new military operation against the terror group in the nearby Deir ez-Zor, on the Syria-Iraq border.

Tens of ISIS suspects were arrested by the SDF on the first day of the operation, according to a statement from the force.   

Deir ez-Zor remains a hotspot for ISIS activity, and vulnerable to attacks from remnants of the terror group.

Kino Gabriel, a spokesperson for the SDF, told Rudaw that they will continue their latest operation against ISIS, saying they have also arrested people sending money and smuggling weapons to the terror group.

“The operation, which we have announced, will continue until Daesh sleeper cells are destroyed.”

Additional reporting by Viviyan Fettah