ISIS exploits Syria’s chaos, threatens comeback

ISIS mercenaries continue their attacks in various parts of Syria, signaling the danger of their return to the security and military scene. This comes amid repeated warnings from human rights organizations and security experts that ISIS is actively seeking to reorganize and regain control, as we detailed in a previous report published on July 26.

 According to reports from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) and the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), ISIS mercenaries carried out dozens of attacks in the Syrian desert, as well as in the areas around Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa, during the first seven months of 2025.

These attacks primarily targeted the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and civilians working in agriculture and herding. The attacks resulted in the deaths and injuries of over 250 people since the beginning of the year. ISIS relies on hit-and-run tactics and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to maintain instability in the vast desert regions.

According to ANHA Agency's monitoring, the areas under the Autonomous Administration are among the most targeted in Syria this year. ISIS mercenaries carried out 116 attacks in Deir ez-Zor province in North and East Syria alone since the beginning of the year. These attacks led to the martyrdom of 22 SDF fighters, 9 civilians, and dozens of injuries.

The attacks varied between ambushes, bombings, and direct gunfire on checkpoints and military vehicles.

SDF on the Frontline to Prevent ISIS's Return

 To counter the threat of ISIS's resurgence, the Syrian Democratic Forces and Internal Security Forces have intensified their efforts. In their latest operation on July 30, the Internal Security Forces in North and East Syria arrested three ISIS mercenaries in the countryside of Al-Shaddadi city in Al-Jazira Canton.

Additionally, the SDF conducted a precise security operation inside the Al-Hol camp south of Hasakah, resulting in the arrest of two ISIS mercenaries active within the camp. On July 29, the Internal Security Forces arrested nine ISIS mercenaries in Raqqa Canton. On July 27, the SDF announced that its Military Operations Teams (TOL) arrested an ISIS leader in Deir ez-Zor while he was preparing a car bomb. On July 26, the SDF reported the martyrdom of one of its fighters and the injury of another while repelling an ISIS attack on a military vehicle in Al-Zar village in the Al-Basira area, east of Deir ez-Zor. On July 4, the SDF dismantled a landmine planted by ISIS cells in Al-Basira town, in eastern Deir ez-Zor.

 The escalation of ISIS attacks in North and East Syria, alongside the number of military and security operations in the region, is a worrying indicator of the group's renewed activity, according to observers.

 Conditions Facilitating ISIS's Return

 According to experts on terrorism, ISIS mercenaries primarily exploit the fragile political, social, and security environment in Syria during this period. On one hand, the spread of ISIS mercenaries in areas under the Transitional Government without pursuit operations allows them to reorganize in a safe environment.

 Furthermore, the rise in hate speech targeting different religions and sects creates an atmosphere conducive to ISIS's operations, focusing on recruitment and polarization. A U.S. warning about ISIS mercenaries infiltrating Suwayda reflects Washington's concerns about the exploitation of chaos, especially given reports of weak security that undermine the credibility of Syria's Transitional Government.

 In a post on the "X" platform, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote: "If the authorities in Damascus want to preserve any chance of achieving a unified, peaceful Syria free from ISIS and Iranian control, they must use their security forces to prevent ISIS and violent jihadists from entering Suwayda and committing massacres."

Signs of Reorganization, Funding, and Growing Threat

International investigations have revealed movements by ISIS leaders who previously fled to the Syrian desert. They are currently working to regroup dormant cells and form small, highly mobile groups operating deep within the desert.

According to a recent report by the International Crisis Group, the growing activity of ISIS in Syria poses a threat that extends beyond the country’s borders. It could provide ISIS with a new base for planning attacks in neighboring countries or even beyond the region if not addressed urgently through international action.

The report emphasizes that the ongoing conflict in Syria, weak security coordination, and diminished international attention following ISIS’s military decline in previous years are all factors enabling the group to re-emerge in a more dangerous form.

Responsibility of the International Community

In this context, UN reports and those from international organizations like Human Rights Watch have stressed that the responsibility to confront ISIS is not limited to local actors in Syria but is a shared obligation of the international community. These reports called for:

- Supporting counter-terrorism efforts through security and intelligence cooperation.

- Preventing ISIS’s funding sources, particularly in drug trafficking and smuggling.

- Investing in rehabilitation and deradicalization programs within camps and detention centers.

- Supporting stabilization and reconstruction efforts to prevent ISIS from exploiting poverty and chaos for recruitment.

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ANHA