A resurgence of ISIS activity is underway in several parts of Syria, as the militant group appears to be reorganizing and launching increasingly coordinated operations. According to exclusive information obtained by +963, ISIS is actively working to reestablish its on-the-ground presence by recruiting new members, carrying out ambushes, and infiltrating government forces, capitalizing on security vacuums and military withdrawals in key regions.
ISIS movements are primarily concentrated in Deir ez-Zor, Palmyra, and Homs provinces. The group is relying on old smuggling routes of the Syrian desert, posing major challenges to military units stationed in these areas.
Sources indicate the group is not merely reactivating dormant cells but is also engaging in a methodical recruitment campaign targeting Syrian youth through mosques and public gatherings. Additionally, ISIS has reportedly absorbed former fighters from a range of disparate military factions.
In response, Syrian security forces have begun implementing preemptive measures to contain the growing threat. These efforts come amid rising warnings of potential large-scale and coordinated attacks that evoke memories of past chaos and instability.
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Expanding Recruitment and Cell Activity
A senior military source within Syrian government forces confirmed to +963 that dozens of ISIS cells are currently active across the regions in question. Their primary objective: recruit young Syrians to pledge allegiance to the group by penetrating public gathering spaces and targeting those with extremist leanings.
In recent weeks, several young men have been reported missing from these areas. Investigations have revealed that some have officially joined ISIS ranks, according to the source.
One survivor of a recruitment attempt told +963 he was directly threatened by ISIS operatives before managing to escape, highlighting the coercive tactics the group now employs to replenish its ranks.
Fighters Disguised in Government Uniforms
In a particularly troubling development, ISIS operatives have begun disguising themselves in Syrian military uniforms to move freely through residential areas. To counteract this tactic, military leadership has launched an emergency plan that includes issuing encrypted identification cards to all fighters and building a centralized digital database to track personnel and prevent infiltration.
The source noted that the group has successfully recruited dozens of former Syrian National Army members who were dismissed for misconduct or legal infractions. Additionally, several ex-combatants from Iranian-backed factions have joined ISIS, with authorities compiling detailed rosters of those involved.
The Syrian Desert: A Hub of Movement and Financing
ISIS continues to exploit traditional smuggling routes in the Syrian desert to move between provinces, benefiting from the vast, sparsely monitored terrain. The group has established secret facilities in each province for assembling improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and planning attacks.
ISIS is reportedly shifting the center of its operations from Deir ez-Zor to new areas in an effort to scatter Syrian army resources and break ongoing security sieges.
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Challenges Facing the Syrian Free Army
Despite the presence of the Us-backed Syrian Free Army forces in the Palmyra desert and rural Homs, focused on tracking ISIS cells, the extremist group maintains a high degree of mobility and tactical agility. It continues to employ advanced methods of disguise and evasion.
The military source emphasized the need for stronger coordination between armed factions and government forces to close existing security gaps.
Key Operative Identified
A key figure in ISIS operations has been identified as “Abu Qais al-Homsi,” a native of Rastan in the Homs countryside. According to +963 sources, he was recently relocated from the desert to rural Homs, where he is now believed to be planing attacks against government forces and overseeing recruitment activities.
Abu Qais is known to have extensive experience in constructing explosive devices and is linked to a deadly attack on a military bus in southern Deir ez-Zor.
Arming and Financing the Organization
ISIS fighters are reportedly well-armed, having seized significant quantities of weapons and ammunition from disbanded government units. The group also funds itself through forced “zakat” collection from local merchants and business owners in partially controlled areas.
A source within the Army of Free Syria told +963 that ISIS is preparing for a series of surprise, synchronized attacks across multiple regions, aiming to disorient Syrian forces and reposition its fighters away from Deir ez-Zor. This initiative is running parallel to continued recruitment efforts.
Rising Activity in the Northeast
In comments to +963, a senior official from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) warned of a noticeable uptick in ISIS activity in northeastern Syria, particularly following the withdrawal of several U.S. bases from the area.
Intelligence reports reveal the group’s extensive plans, including car bombings in civilian markets and targeted assassinations of tribal leaders and community figures.
According to the SDF source, nine ISIS members, including senior operatives, were arrested last month, and three attacks were thwarted. Multiple types of weapons were also seized. The group is now operating with a decentralized structure, making it difficult to dismantle. Most members do not know each other or the identities of their leadership.
The SDF source concluded that Syria may soon face a new wave of large-scale ISIS attacks, calling for heightened security alertness and deeper coordination between all forces active on the ground.
