ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) dismantled an Islamic State (ISIS) cell of nearly 40 militants on Thursday in northeastern Syria, the force announced.
The SDF said its forces arrested the group, which included 39 members, in the countryside around al-Shuhail, in the eastern province of Deir ez-Zor. The cell was believed to be planning an attack during the holiday of Eid al-Fitr.
The SDF said they also seized a large number of weapons and documents owned by the terror group. Kurdish security forces say they have destroyed several ISIS hideouts and detained a number of the militant group’s members in northeastern Syria in recent operations.
The SDF announced they arrested 14 ISIS members in Deir ez-Zor on Tuesday and a media outlet affiliated with the SDF said Kurdish forces arrested a leader of the militant group in Hasaka on Sunday.
The arrests follow a series of assassinations, targeting civilians, tribal leaders, and members of the SDF.
Three SDF members were killed in separate attacks on Tuesday and Monday. Both attacks were carried out by unknown gunmen.
ISIS has been territorially defeated in Iraq and Syria but the militants continue to carry out bombings, hit-and run attacks and abductions on both sides of the border. The SDF and Syrian regime forces control separate areas of Deir ez-Zor province.
Kurdish-led forces announced in a statement that they concluded on Wednesday a four-day military operation against ISIS on the Syria-Iraq border, which was launched with the support of the global coalition.
In its weekly propaganda newspaper al-Naba, ISIS claimed it had conducted 12 attacks in Syria between April 29 and May 5, killing and injuring 17 people.
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