ISIS Claims It Killed Or Wounded 13 SDF Fighters In Recent Northeastern Syria Attack

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On September 24, ISIS claimed that one of its cells killed or wounded 13 fighters of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) during a recent attack in the northeastern Syrian governorate of al-Hasakah.

The terrorist group’s news agency, Amaq, said that the attack, which took place on September 20, targeted a convoy of the SDF near the town of Ghazileh in the eastern al-Hasakah countryside. According to the agency, a cell made up of several suicide fighters carried out the bold attack.

The attack began when one of the suicide fighters, identified by Amaq as Abu Omar, blew up his car bomb next to the SDF convoy. The remaining fighters then clashed with SDF troops, killing or wounding at least 13 of them and destroying two pickup vehicles.

Amaq claimed that one of the cell’s suicide fighters survived the attack, which was meant as a response to the SDF’s recent security-humanitarian operation in al-Hawl camp in the eastern al-Hasakah countryside. The camp hosts thousands of ISIS members and their relatives.

ISIS’s claims contradicts a statement on the attack that was released by the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) on September 23.

The command claimed that the attack main target was al-Hawl and that it was foiled by the SDF. The group’s fighters intercepted the cell near Um Fakik village, some 20 kilometers away from the camp. SDF fighters were allegedly alerted by the premature explosion of one of two explosive-rigged cars that ISIS suicide fighters was moving in.

“No SDF were killed or wounded. One ISIS fighter is now in Syrian Democratic Forces custody. Four ISIS fighters were killed in the engagement,” the CENTCOM said in its statement.

What exactly happened near Ghazileh and Um Fakik on September 20 remains unclear. However, there is no doubt that ISIS is interested in destabilizing the situation at al-Hawl camp.

ISIS new attack shows that the SDF and the US-led coalition have not yet addressed the security issues which were exposed by the terrorist group’s large-scale attack on al-Hasakah prison last January. The attack claimed the lives of more than 300 people.

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