02/05/2020

SDF and International Coalition operations hunt ISIS operatives in Syria and Iraq

DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syria / KIRKUK, Iraq – The Coordination and Military Operations Center of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced via Twitter that their Counter Terrorism Units (HAT), in coordination with Internal Coalition air assets, arrested an Islamic State (ISIS) cell in the Hajin area in ​​Deir ez-Zor. The cell consisted of three men. A cache of weapons was also secured.

In related news, the U.S.-led International Coalition released a video showing coalition air strikes on caves used by high-ranking ISIS members to move between the Hamrin mountains in Kirkuk city.

The coalition stated that at least five ISIS members were killed in the strikes. These numbers are subject to rise as the Iraqi forces conduct search operations following the strikes.

The coalition confirmed that ISIS elements used a sophisticated system of tunnels in the Hamrin mountains in order to smuggle weapons and transport high-ranking leaders in one of their last remaining areas of operations in Iraq.

“The Fourteenth Division of the Iraqi army had swept the area and found ISIS documents and electronic devices,” said the Coalition statement. “In addition, search operations are still ongoing around the caves.”