Raqqa, northeast Syria – The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced on Sunday that they had carried out a major security operation against ISIS sleeper cells and organised crime groups in the countryside of Raqqa province, northeastern Syria.
In a statement published on Facebook, the SDF said that its commando forces, supported by the Operations Forces and the Counter-Terrorism Units (HAT), launched a “wide and carefully planned security campaign” in the town of al-Heisha and surrounding areas east of Ain Issa in northern Raqqa.
The operation, according to the statement, aimed to dismantle the networks of ISIS militants and criminal gangs accused of robbery, drug trafficking, and other activities undermining public safety.
The SDF confirmed that 71 individuals were detained, some of them directly linked to ISIS and others associated with organised crime networks. The group added that the raids also uncovered weapons, ammunition, and materials allegedly prepared for terrorist attacks, which it said would significantly weaken the operational capacity of the cells.
The campaign, the SDF stressed, was the result of “precise intelligence planning and continuous monitoring,” and was carried out under strict security protocols to safeguard civilians and ensure stability in the area.
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This follows a separate announcement last Wednesday, when the SDF reported that its forces had thwarted an ISIS plot in Deir ez-Zor province. Three suspected militants were arrested in the town of al-Takihi after what the SDF described as detailed surveillance of their movements.
According to the SDF, the suspects were preparing attacks targeting regional stability. Weapons and documents were confiscated during the raid, which the SDF said provided evidence of the men’s ties to ISIS and their involvement in planning attacks against civilians.
