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Syria
A US soldier walks near a humvee of the SDF during a joint military patrols between the SDF and anti-ISIS coalition in Deir ez-Zor on December 7, 2021. Photo: AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdish counterterrorism forces and the global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS) on Monday killed five members of a “dangerous” cell in a joint raid against the group in eastern Syria, according to a statement from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The Kurdish-led SDF said in the statement that a “dangerous” ISIS cell was hiding near al-Busayrah town in Deir ez-Zor province. “After investigations, information gathering, and careful follow-up of wanted persons during the last period, the cell’s whereabouts were raided with air support.”
The ISIS fighters fired at the raiding forces who responded and killed five members of the cell, “most of whom were wearing explosive belts,” according to the SDF which said in the statement that the raid followed recent ISIS activities against civil and service institutions in the town.
Al-Busayrah is located on the banks of the Euphrates where ISIS remains active despite the group’s territorial defeat in 2019. The SDF and coalition forces have conducted several raids in Deir ez-Zor recently. They have also conducted a number of joint patrols in the area this month.
Four members of a family were also killed in the joint raid, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), including two who were targeted by coalition gunfire from a helicopter while trying to flee on a motorbike.
ISIS seized control of swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria, declaring a so-called caliphate in 2014. The terror group was territorially defeated in Iraq in 2017 and Syria two years later.
The SDF is the main ally of the US-led coalition in the fight against ISIS on the ground in Syria.
The increased military operations against ISIS signal a surge in the group’s activities in the region.
According to the latest Pentagon report on the fight against ISIS, the militants’ activities “significantly” decreased from July to September 2021, but, citing the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), it said “there were signs that the group is ‘poised to increase activity in the coming quarter after a period of recuperation and recovery.’”
“The DIA said that ISIS moved some of its fighters during the quarter from the Syrian desert back into Iraq and northeastern Syria, which ISIS perceives to be important operating environments,” added the report.
The Kurdish-led SDF said in the statement that a “dangerous” ISIS cell was hiding near al-Busayrah town in Deir ez-Zor province. “After investigations, information gathering, and careful follow-up of wanted persons during the last period, the cell’s whereabouts were raided with air support.”
The ISIS fighters fired at the raiding forces who responded and killed five members of the cell, “most of whom were wearing explosive belts,” according to the SDF which said in the statement that the raid followed recent ISIS activities against civil and service institutions in the town.
Al-Busayrah is located on the banks of the Euphrates where ISIS remains active despite the group’s territorial defeat in 2019. The SDF and coalition forces have conducted several raids in Deir ez-Zor recently. They have also conducted a number of joint patrols in the area this month.
An accurate Sec-operation targeted a dangerous #Daesh cell beside #Al_Busaira in #Deir_Ezzor, the operation conducted by #SDF & #Int_Coalition with air back-up.
— Coordination & Military Ops Center - SDF (@cmoc_sdf) December 13, 2021
The cell shoot with no obey for safe exit call.
Our forces shoot back on fire source which led to kill of 5 of them.
Four members of a family were also killed in the joint raid, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), including two who were targeted by coalition gunfire from a helicopter while trying to flee on a motorbike.
ISIS seized control of swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria, declaring a so-called caliphate in 2014. The terror group was territorially defeated in Iraq in 2017 and Syria two years later.
The SDF is the main ally of the US-led coalition in the fight against ISIS on the ground in Syria.
The increased military operations against ISIS signal a surge in the group’s activities in the region.
According to the latest Pentagon report on the fight against ISIS, the militants’ activities “significantly” decreased from July to September 2021, but, citing the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), it said “there were signs that the group is ‘poised to increase activity in the coming quarter after a period of recuperation and recovery.’”
“The DIA said that ISIS moved some of its fighters during the quarter from the Syrian desert back into Iraq and northeastern Syria, which ISIS perceives to be important operating environments,” added the report.
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