ISIS

Turkey Steps Up Anti-IS Raids, Arresting 125 Suspects

Turkey on Wednesday detained another 125 Islamic State group suspects in a string of nationwide raids, a minister said, following warnings that IS militants planned attacks over the holidays. Nearly 600 people have now been detained in anti-IS raids over the past week. "We captured 125 Daesh suspects in simultaneous operations carried out in 25 ...

Who Really Defeated ISIS in Syria?

In the narrative promoted by Moscow and Damascus, Russia and Bashar al-Assad’s regime are credited with delivering the decisive blow against ISIS in Syria. This account frames Russia’s military intervention, which began in September 2015, as the turning point in the fight against the terrorist group. Yet, a closer look at the data paints a ...

Kurds at a Crossroads as Middle East Shifts

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazloum Abdi’s November 19 trip to the autonomous Kurdistan region of northern Iraq was an important moment, underscoring that Kurdish leaders now appear to understand the importance of cooperation amid sweeping changes in the region. Abdi—a close partner of the US military in Syria who spent ...

Syrian ISF Arrest Members of a Dangerous ISIS-Affiliated Cell in Latakia

The Syrian ISF command in Latakia announced on Monday that security units had apprehended members of one of the most dangerous ISIS-aligned cells during a precision operation in the al-Badrusiya area of northern Latakia countryside, as reported by SANA. Brigadier General Abdulaziz Hilal al-Ahmad, Commander of Internal Security in Latakia ...

Syrian Kurdish Forces Say Five Members Killed in IS Attack

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said that an attack on Thursday by Islamic State group militants in Syria's east killed five of its members. IS jihadists, once in control of large swathes of Iraq and Syria, were territorially defeated in Syria in 2019 in a battle spearheaded by the SDF with support from an international ...

Syria Kurds say they Thwarted Escape Bid from Camp for IS Families

Syrian Kurdish forces said Wednesday they thwarted an escape attempt by more than 50 inmates of Al-Hol camp, which holds people suspected of ties to the Islamic State (IS) group. Kurdish authorities in northeastern Syria have run camps hosting thousands of suspected jihadists and their families since the jihadist group lost its last territory in ...

Senior ISIS Leader Killed in US Raid in Syria's Aleppo Province

American forces killed an Islamic State group leader in a raid in Syria's Aleppo province on Friday, the US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said. The raid resulted "in the death of senior ISIS leader, Dhiya Zawba Muslih al-Hardani, and his two adult ISIS-affiliated sons," CENTCOM said in a statement, using an acronym for the jihadist ...

ISIS Ideology Persists in Lebanon, Recruitment Attempts Thwarted

Is ISIS truly active in Lebanon? Following the suicide bombing that targeted Mar Elias Church in Damascus, concerns have resurfaced over ISIS’ threat in Lebanon. Notably, the political base of Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) sought to exploit the tragedy to justify, firstly, the persisting presence of illegal weapons, and ...

The Return of ISIS in Syria: Who’s Pulling the Strings?

The deadly June 22 attack on the Mar Elias Church in Damascus, which killed at least 25 people, has brought back into focus a lingering threat: the Islamic State group, commonly known as ISIS (or Daesh). While the terrorist organization appeared weakened in recent years, a new affiliated jihadist faction, Saraya Ansar al-Sunna, claimed ...

The Lingering Specter of the Islamic State in Lebanon

The Lebanese Army announced on Tuesday the arrest of a man identified as R.F., also known as “Qassoura,” who is believed to be the leader of the Islamic State (ISIS) in Lebanon. The operation, conducted by the Directorate of Intelligence, led to the confiscation of a large cache of weapons, ammunition, electronic devices, and materials used ...

Syria Announces Arrests over Damascus Church Attack

Syrian authorities on Monday announced arrests over a suicide blast targeting a church blamed on the Islamic State group, as President Ahmed al-Sharaa vowed those involved in the "heinous" attack would face justice. The shooting and suicide bombing Sunday at the Saint Elias church in the working-class Dwelaa district of the Syrian capital killed ...

Syria President Vows those Involved in Church Attack will Face Justice

Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa vowed Monday that those involved in a "heinous" suicide attack on a Damascus church a day earlier would face justice, calling for unity in the country. The shooting and suicide bombing Sunday at the church in the working-class Dwelaa district of the Syrian capital killed 25 people and wounded 63, the ...