SDF captures senior ISIS cell leader in eastern Deir ez-Zor

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said Sunday their elite units captured an Islamic State (ISIS) cell leader and arms facilitator in eastern Deir ez-Zor province. The Kurdish-led forces also released confessions from the senior operative, who admitted involvement in more than two dozen “terrorist operations” targeting both Kurdish-led forces and civilians.

In a statement, the SDF said its Military Operations Teams (TOL) conducted “a precise and well-planned security operation” on December 7, capturing “one of the most dangerous leaders” of ISIS cells, Saher Ahmed al-Khalaf al-Abdullah, who was “responsible for supplying weapons, ammunition, and improvised explosive devices [IEDs]” to the extremist group.

Of note, the SDF serves as the de facto military force in northeast Syria (Rojava) and the main on-the-ground partner of the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. Meanwhile, the TOL units specialize in counterterrorism raids and other special operations.

The SDF further released confessions of Abdullah who admitted to participating directly in seven out of twenty attacks carried out by his cell.

The assaults included targeting the SDF-affiliated Internal Security Forces (Asayish) with an explosive device that killed two members, as well as carrying out multiple attacks on military vehicles using IEDs and machine gun fire in Deir ez-Zor. He also admitted to attacking a civilian home after the owner refused to pay a tax to ISIS.

The senior ISIS operative further detailed how his cell-members “avoided carrying phones during operations to prevent interception” but would “document attacks and send recordings to their handlers for payment.”
 
Abdullah added that the cell would “meet in major cities to evade detection” and store weapons, ammunition, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at his home. Members would cross into the eastern Euphrates region - widely known as al-Jazira, which is under SDF control - “disguised as civilians.” He would then smuggle arms in “camouflage shipments,” concealing them among vegetables or clothing, for use in launching attacks.

The SDF stated that releasing these confessions serves the public’s “right to know the truth” and sends a clear message that “no ISIS member will escape the grip of justice.”

“Our forces will continue to dismantle terrorist cells and dry up their sources of support to maintain the security of our citizens and the stability of the region,” the Kurdish-led forces said.

The development follows last week’s announcement by the SDF that its TOL units had dismantled an ISIS cell in a preemptive operation in Deir ez-Zor, arresting four key operatives.

Although ISIS was declared territorially defeated in Syria in 2019, the group has continued to exploit the instability that followed the fall of longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Since then, Deir ez-Zor has become a key hotspot for ISIS insurgency.

The SDF and its affiliates remain actively engaged in counterterrorism operations to prevent the group from regaining a foothold.