3 ISIS suspects arrested in North and East Syria, 4 ISIS hideouts destroyed in Kerkeslokh province, Iraq

DAYRO ZCURO, Syria / KERKESLOKH, Iraq — On its official website, the Media Center of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) published information about a joint operation carried out by SDF special forces and International Coalition forces which resulted in the arrests of members of the Islamic State (ISIS) in the Jadidat Akidat area of Dayro Zcuro (Deir ez-Zor) and Al-Shaddadi who were attempting to smuggle ISIS operative and their families out of Al-Hol Refugee Camp. A former ISIS leader unrelated to the smuggling operation was also arrested north of Al-Shaddadi.

In Iraq, the Security Media Cell announced that an operation was carried out by a force of the 5th Division of the Federal Police and an intelligence unit in Kerkeslokh (Kirkuk) which resulted in the destruction of four ISIS hideouts in the Al-Rashad district of Daquk in Kerkeslokh province with the support of warplanes of the Iraqi Army.

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Background

Since the summer, the SDF have conducted a series of sweeping operations in and around Dayro Zcuro to combat the presence of ISIS cells in the area.

To help secure the region, the SDF have conducted a series of sweeping operations targeting Islamic State and Syrian regime sleeper cells.

In June of this year, the SDF launched a large-scale counter-terror operation, Operation Deterring Terrorism, in Dayro Zcuro and the surrounding areas to combat the presence of Islamic State cells operating in the countryside.

In the following month of July, a second phase of Operation Deterring Terrorism was launched at the urging of locals still suffering from Islamic State attacks of various kinds. The second phase specifically targeted ISIS hideouts in the areas of Al-Basira, Al-Shahil, Al-Zer, Al-Zayban, and Al-Hawaij in the northern countryside of Dayro Zcuro. Dozens of suspected ISIS members were arrested during the operations.

In mid-October, SDF special units, in cooperation with the International Coalition carried out two joint operations in the countryside of Dayro Zcuro, resulting in the arrests of four suspected ISIS members and the seizure of weapons and ammunition. Another suspected ISIS member was arrested in the northeastern countryside of Hasakah Province.