163 operations executed by SDF against ISIS during year

The SDF Media Center issued a statement today outlining the results of the security and military operations conducted against ISIS mercenaries over the course of the year, within a comprehensive defensive strategy aimed at preventing the group’s resurgence, cutting off its sources, and protecting civilians. The statement read:

“In line with our national responsibilities to protect the security and stability of the region, our forces continued throughout the entire year to carry out sustained security and military operations against cells of the terrorist ISIS organization. These operations were conducted within a comprehensive defensive strategy aimed at preventing the resurgence of the organization, eliminating its sources, and protecting civilians from any potential threat.

During this period, our forces, the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), carried out hundreds of specialized operations, including precise raids, pre-emptive actions, and the tracking of sleeper cells. These operations resulted in the arrest of dozens of individuals involved in terrorist activities and the neutralization of others, in addition to dismantling logistical support networks, destroying hideouts and shelters of the organization, and seizing quantities of weapons and explosive devices before they could be used to target civilians and official institutions.

These operations come as an extension of a long path of sacrifices, as our forces have, with sincerity and great courage, borne alone the burden of fighting the terrorist ISIS organization for more than a decade. They have offered thousands of martyrs and wounded in defense of the people of the region and of humanity as a whole, in a battle that was not merely a defense of geography, but of the values of life and coexistence in the face of one of the most brutal terrorist organizations.

These efforts also underscore the vital role played by security and military operations in protecting millions of civilians, maintaining a state of relative stability, and preventing the organization from reorganizing its ranks or carrying out attacks that threaten people’s lives and daily security, especially in light of complex regional conditions and attempts by certain parties to exploit any security gaps.

In addition, our forces bear, alone, an unprecedented security burden in guarding ISIS camps and prisons, preventing the reproduction of terrorism and closing a dangerous gap in regional and international security.

In this context, our forces highly value the continuous and effective support of the International Coalition in combating ISIS, whether in terms of operational coordination or technical and intelligence support, and affirm that this cooperation has been an important factor in enhancing the effectiveness of joint efforts against terrorism, based on the principle of partnership and international responsibility in confronting this cross-border threat.

These operations confirm beyond any doubt that ISIS, despite the decline in its capabilities, still poses an existing threat and seeks to exploit any security vacuum or state of chaos to undermine stability and spread fear among civilians. This necessitates the continuation of organized security work and zero tolerance toward any terrorist activity.

Our forces also stress that these efforts are carried out in full compliance with laws and regulations, in coordination with local components and in cooperation with international partners, stemming from a firm conviction that combating terrorism is a collective responsibility requiring sustained and comprehensive action, not limited to the military aspect alone, but also encompassing security, social, and intellectual dimensions.

In conclusion, we affirm that these operations are not a temporary action, but part of a steadfast approach aimed at consolidating security and stability, protecting the gains of the peoples of the region, safeguarding their lives, and preventing any attempt to reintroduce terrorism under any name or pretext.

Below is the general summary of operations against the terrorist organization during 2025:

During the aforementioned year, security and military forces continued their systematic operations against ISIS cells within a defensive and security framework aimed at protecting civilians, preventing the organization’s return, and dismantling its networks, in coordination with local and international partners, despite other attacks the region was subjected to by various parties.

First: Numerical Statistics

Total security and military operations carried out by our forces: 163

Large-scale sweep operations: 3

Raids and searches of ISIS hideouts: 128

Direct clashes with ISIS members: 32

ISIS members arrested: 140

ISIS mercenaries killed: 13, including three leaders

Explosive devices dismantled: 79

ISIS attacks: 220

Second: Approximate geographical distribution of operations against ISIS

Rural areas: 70%

Cities and towns: 20%

Vital roads: 10%

Third: Nature of ISIS threats during the year

Reliance on small and sleeper cells

Use of explosive devices and limited ambushes

Attempts to target civilians and service infrastructure

Propaganda and incitement activity through alternative media outlets

Fourth: Main Results

Reduction of the terrorist organization’s operational capabilities

Dismantling of logistical support networks and collaborators

Prevention of dozens of attacks that the organization was planning to carry out against civilians

Enhancement of security stability in the region

These statistics confirm that ISIS continues to pose a security threat, albeit in a fragmented form, which requires the continuation of security operations, the strengthening of cooperation, ongoing coordination with the International Coalition, and the removal of underlying causes, including security chaos in other Syrian regions, to prevent any potential resurgence of the organization.

A-H 

ANHA