The jihadist Islamic State (ISIS) assumed responsibility on 2 January for three operations against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeast Syria’s Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor, reported North Press Agency.
The three consecutive statements began by claiming responsibility for an operation that targeted an SDF military vehicle with machine guns on the road into Ain Issa, north of Raqqa, wounding two people.
The ISIS run- media also claimed that ISIS militants detonated an explosive in an SDF vehicle near Hazima north of Raqqa.
Lastly it was claimed that the ISIS militants targeted an SDF checkpoint near the entrance of the town of al-Busira, 35 km east of Deir ez-Zor.
ISIS’ statements come just days after the SDF announced the launch of Operation “Al-Jazeera Thunderbolt” targeting ISIS cells in the region in partnership with Internal Security Forces of North and East Syria (Asayish) and the US-led Global Coalition.
The Head of SDF media centre, Farhad Shami, on his personal Twitter account said that the Thunderbolt operation is still ongoing, preventing ISIS from reorganizing amid Turkey’s attacks on North and East Syria.
SDF has already announced the arrest of several terrorists since Operation Thunderbolt began on 29th December, including suspects involved in smuggling ISIS families from the al-Hol camp.
Operation Al-Jazeera Thunderbolt “aims to detect the enclaves of ISIS cells in the civilian homes and farms in the southern countryside of Qamishlo city and the al-Hasaka eastern countryside, where many attacks have taken place, targeting security forces, tribal elders and civil employees,” stated SDF Press.
