The Democratic Forces of Syria, also known as “SDF”, announced last Thursday that a senior ISIS leader was killed during a security operation in the city of Raqqa in the north.
The statement identified the leader as Ibrahim Al-Ali, noting that he was the “general supervisor in the eastern region.” The operation was conducted in collaboration with the international coalition forces and the Counter-Terrorism Unit in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. This development comes in response to two major attacks by the extremist group in the past week, the most significant since the beginning of this year. This week, UN reports estimated that ISIS still comprises between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters across Syria and Iraq, enabling them to launch extensive attacks within the Syrian desert.
A security expert revealed to “Sky News Arabia” the reasons for the resurgence and expansion of ISIS operations in Syria. The root causes are mainly attributed to the frail security situation and the overall political instability in the country. Jassim Mohammed, the head of the European Center for Counter-Terrorism and Intelligence Studies, highlights the main factors behind the resurgence:
* Economic Distress: Syria’s faltering economy has allowed ISIS to recruit locals, collecting intelligence on government military sites and possibly their movements.
* Infrastructure Shortfalls: A weakened infrastructure, leading to a lack of water and electricity, has fueled public anger and created opportunities for the extremist group.
* Limited Humanitarian Aid: External assistance has dwindled, with many international organizations unable to access certain northern regions.
* Political Unrest: Syria has been grappling with a complex political situation since 2011, despite efforts by the Arab League and other Arab countries to restore normal diplomatic ties.
* Waning Counter-Terrorism Efforts: The international coalition and counter-terrorism initiatives in Syria have become less proactive and mainly reactive to ISIS operations.
* Al-Hol Camp Crisis: The camp is increasingly seen as a new version of ISIS, often described as a “human reservoir” for potential ISIS fighters.
* Unrepatriated Nationals: Since 2017, countries have not taken decisive steps to retrieve their citizens who were under ISIS control or fought alongside the extremist group.
* ISIS’s Conflict with Other Groups: The group seeks to exert its dominance and expand its influence in Syria to control resources and power, especially when other factions in northern Syria remain unresolved.
Mohammed anticipates that ISIS will further expand its influence and shift its objectives in Syria, given the declining counter-terrorism policies and the ineffectiveness of the international coalition. Only days ago, an ISIS ambush targeted a military bus in the countryside of Deir ez-Zor, eastern Syria, killing 33 soldiers and injuring dozens.