Sail al-Zoubaa, deputy spokesperson for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), warned of an escalation in Islamic State (ISIS) attacks recently witnessed in northeastern Syria, saying the group seeks to destabilize security and stability in the region and reorganize its ranks.

He confirmed that the group has carried out more than 160 attacks since the beginning of this year, targeting SDF members, local leaders, civilians, and all those working within the institutions of the Autonomous Administration in northeastern Syria. He added that the SDF has arrested more than 95 ISIS members since the fall of the former regime.

In an interview published Sunday, October 5, with the SDF-affiliated Hawar News Agency, Zoubaa said that the security vacuum and the absence of effective actors within the “transitional government” (referring to the Syrian government) to combat ISIS cells have forced the SDF to bear the burden of confronting the group alone across its territories.

“Some Syrian areas lack any active military presence against the organization, giving its members the opportunity to move freely and carry out attacks targeting both civilians and military personnel,” he said.

Zoubaa added that since its defeat in 2019, ISIS has adopted guerrilla warfare tactics, relying on assassinations and swift hit-and-run operations to rebuild its structure and regain territorial influence.

He noted that the SDF has special units trained to combat ISIS cells and that, in recent weeks, it has implemented extensive security measures, including intensifying checkpoints, monitoring cells, and adopting precise mechanisms to track and pursue them.

According to Zoubaa, recent attacks have revealed the group’s attempts to reorganize its ranks and improve its logistical and financial capacities.

Accusations of foreign involvement

The SDF deputy spokesperson questioned the sources of ISIS funding, claiming that “foreign agendas” seek to support the group to destabilize the region. “The whole world knows which sides are behind this support, aimed at undermining security in North and East Syria,” he said.

He added that any confrontation between the SDF and the Damascus government opens the door for ISIS to exploit the resulting chaos, stressing that the group is “the only party benefiting from ongoing conflicts.”

Zoubaa also referred to the March 10 agreement between SDF Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi and Syria’s transitional president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, which stipulated a ceasefire as its first clause.

He explained that the agreement was never effectively implemented, as “the truce was breached by forces of the transitional government,” arguing that continued escalation serves only the interests of ISIS.

“We are not separatists”

Responding to accusations that the SDF seeks secession, Zoubaa said, “Our forces are not separatist. We are committed to the unity of Syrian territory and to peace.”

He added that the SDF stands against sectarian conflicts and bloodshed, prioritizing the preservation of Syria’s unity and the safety of its people.

70 operations against ISIS

The SDF announced that it had carried out 70 operations against ISIS in its areas of control between December 8, 2024, the date of the former regime’s collapse, and September 20 of this year.

In a statement issued on September 22, the SDF said its various formations, with support from the International Coalition, conducted three large-scale sweep operations, capturing 95 ISIS members, including three commanders.

During these operations, six ISIS members, including two senior figures, were killed, and a “large quantity” of weapons, ammunition, and identification documents was confiscated, according to the statement.