Simultaneous attacks by transitional govt. forces, ISIS in NE Syria

From November 15 to 21, the North and East Syria region saw a week of multi-source military and security escalation, including attacks by the Syrian transitional government forces, ISIS cells, and violations against civilians, while the SDF and the Internal Security Forces continued to defend stability.

ANHA agency monitored this convergence throughout the past week in the countryside of Tabqa, Raqqa, and Deir ez-Zor. The following are the simultaneous events in chronological order:

November 15: Positions belonging to the SDF came under attack on the axis of the village of Ghanem al-Ali east of Raqqa, carried out by the Syrian transitional government forces using suicide drones and heavy weapons, resulting in three fighters being lightly wounded. The SDF later confirmed in a statement that the attack had been foiled and that casualties were recorded among the attackers.

On the same day, the co-chair of al-Baghouz Municipality, Ahmad Nafea To’ma, survived an assassination attempt after individuals chanting ISIS slogans and bearing its symbols opened fire on his car from motorcycles in his hometown of al-Baghouz in eastern Deir ez-Zor, causing material damage without injuries.

November 16: A member of the Internal Security Forces was targeted with several gunshots while returning home on the highway in the town of Muhaymidah in western Deir ez-Zor countryside by armed assailants, leading to his immediate martyrdom.

November 18: Unknown individuals set fire to the Educational Complex in the town of Gharanij east of Deir ez-Zor, causing material damage. The incident came weeks after the arson of the Zenobia Women’s Gathering building in the town of Abu Hamam in the same countryside, where ISIS-linked slogans had been written at the time.

November 19: The SDF downed two ISIS drones launched from positions belonging to the transitional government forces on the axis of Ghanem al-Ali in eastern Raqqa countryside. The SDF confirmed with video footage the involvement of some factions in facilitating ISIS activity. The SDF responded that night by targeting the launch sites in southern and eastern Raqqa countryside.

November 20: Heavy-weapon clashes continued on the same axis, and the transitional government forces closed the road linking Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor near the towns of al-Buhamad and Ghanem al-Ali east of Raqqa, while the Raqqa-Maadan checkpoint arrested dozens of young men inside buses heading from North and East Syria toward Deir ez-Zor and internal regions.

On the same day, militants of the “80th Division” affiliated with the transitional government targeted residents of the village of Jib Abyad north of Deir Hafir in Tabqa countryside with light and medium weapons, injuring civilians, two days after Abdullah al-Mousa was killed in the same village amid a series of violations including gunfire and property burnings.

Also on the same day, the Internal Security Forces announced the dismantling of an ISIS cell consisting of two individuals from Hasakah, who confessed to carrying out operations against the SDF and Internal Security under the supervision of leaders in Damascus and Sere Kaniye, occupied by Turkey, and to receiving weapons, funds, and coordinates.

November 21: ISIS cells targeted Internal Security positions in the towns of Abriha and Dhiban in eastern Deir ez-Zor countryside through gunfire and a hand grenade attack, without injuries. The forces responded to the attack sources and launched patrols and security reinforcements to track down the perpetrators.

The overlap of these assaults raises concerns of expanding tensions in the region, while the SDF and the Internal Security Forces affirm their readiness to confront threats, protect civilians, and maintain stability in the region.

A-H 

ANHA