SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Kurdish-led-Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Friday said it arrested 52 Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists amid a two-day-long manhunt campaign.
Dubbed the campaign “Operation Al-Jazeere Thunderbolt” SDF arrested the terrorists in collaboration with Internal Security Forces (Asayish) and the International Coalition forces, said the SDF Media office.
The Manhunt operation covered the areas of the al-Hol and Tal Hamis in Kurdish-controlled territories in northeastern Syria, according to the office
Initial investigations indicated that the arrested terrorists were involved in many terrorist acts and in providing materials, resources, and weapons to the ISIS terrorist cells.
“One of the cells was about to carry out terrorist acts during the New Year’s holiday,” it added.
Islamic State took over vast swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014, but since losing its last significant piece of territory in Syria in 2019 it has resorted to guerrilla attacks.
Its remaining thousands of militants have in recent years mostly hid out in remote hinterlands though they are still capable of carrying out insurgent-style attacks.
“Our forces will continue the operations to dry up terrorist hotbeds in the area, destroy their hideouts, and ensure security in suspected areas,” the media office of SDF continued.
