​​​​​​​Panorama of week.. ISIS reactivate after earthquake, Turkey is renews water war against Iraq

 The Arab newspapers issued during the past week dealt with the return of ISIS activity in Syria, the water war waged by the Turkish occupation state against Iraq, and the economic crisis in Lebanon.

 ISIS is taking advantage of the earthquake disaster to spread over the "ruins" in Syria

 Beginning with the Syrian issue, the Emirati newspaper Al-Ittihad said: “8 civilians were killed and about 40 others were injured, Thursday, as a result of a mine explosion in a truck they were carrying while they were on their way to collect truffles in eastern Syria, while the terrorist organization ISIS is exploiting the catastrophe of the devastating earthquake to spread again in  Syria, especially in the Badia regions, which have witnessed a series of terrorist attacks over the past few days, carried out by the militants of the terrorist organization.

 And the official Syrian News Agency, SANA, reported that “five citizens were killed and more than 40 were injured when a mine left behind by ISIS terrorists exploded in the truck carrying them while they were on their way to collect truffles in the Kabajib area in the southwestern countryside of Deir Ezzor.”

 Ten civilians were killed and 12 others were wounded, on Tuesday, when two land mines left by the "ISIS" organization exploded in Hama Governorate, in central Syria.  And SANA reported that they were also collecting truffles.  On February 17, ISIS elements carried out an attack east of Homs, killing 68 civilians and military personnel who were collecting truffles. A few days earlier, specifically on February 11, ISIS launched an attack in the Palmyra area in Homs countryside, in which 10 civilians and a member of the forces were killed.  government.

 The Syrian writer and political analyst, Sherwan Youssef, explained that since the sixth of last February, the date of the devastating earthquake that struck the region, a remarkable activity was monitored for the increase in ISIS operations in Deir Ezzor and the countryside of Homs, and there were cases of escape of the organization’s members from some prisons,  Including 20 inmates from Rajo prison in northwestern Syria, which holds about 1,300 ISIS members.

Sherwan confirmed to Al-Ittihad that ISIS changed its strategy since the collapse of its alleged “state” in 2019, and relied on guerrilla warfare through some cells whose presence increased during the last period in several regions of Syria. Last January, it carried out 14 terrorist operations;  Despite the expanded counter-security campaigns carried out by the Syrian Democratic Forces with the support of the International Coalition Forces.

 During the past seven months, the terrorist organization claimed 34 terrorist operations in southern Syria.

 The political analyst said that there is an actual presence and practical control of ISIS over some areas east of Deir ez-Zor, and the organization found in the disaster of the earthquake an opportunity to expand again in Syria, which indicates that ISIS has not completely ended.

 He warned of the danger of thousands of ISIS members in the prisons of the Syrian Democratic Forces, and if they managed to escape, we would be in front of a free army of prisoners, so the International Coalition and the Syrian Democratic Forces must secure the prisons, tighten their control, and maintain them, especially after some buildings were affected by the repercussions of the earthquake.  Especially in Kobani, which hosts a prison that holds dozens of ISIS members.

 As for the Egyptian expert in the affairs of extremist groups, Ahmed Ban, he told Al-Ittihad that in the atmosphere of natural disasters such as earthquakes, countries and governments usually resort to transferring security and logistical capabilities from one place to another, which opens gaps that enable extremist groups such as ISIS to reposition their elements.  And sometimes hiding behind humanitarian relief operations.

ANHA