The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have announced the arrest of a senior Islamic State official suspected of heading terrorist cells in eastern Syria, as part of an operation carried out on Thursday in Deir Ezzor province.
»The operation took place in the town of Yadid Bakara with air surveillance support from the international coalition,» he said in a statement on his website, in which he specified that the detainee is suspected of »transporting weapons, explosives, ammunition and money to cells of the organization in Deir Ezzor and eastern Syria.» It also added that the detainee »was involved in the preparations of attacks by the cells he heads».
The SDF is continuing its efforts, with the support of the international coalition forces, to maintain stability in northern and eastern Syria and to protect the population by hitting the Islamic State cells through the arrest of their leaders and members who threaten the population and carry out attacks against the military and security forces,» he concluded.
The SDF is led by the Kurdish-Syrian militia People’s Protection Units (YPG) and is supported by the U.S.-led coalition. The operation was carried out just days after the U.S. military confirmed the death of a senior Islamic State official responsible for planning attacks in the Middle East and Europe during a »unilateral raid» in northern Syria.
Several attacks by the jihadists against civilians gathering truffles have been reported in recent weeks in various parts of the Asian country. The SDF announced on March 23, 2019 the capture of Baghuz and the fall of the so-called territorial caliphate of the Islamic State, although the group has increased its attacks during the last months, especially in the triangle between the provinces of Aleppo, Hama and Raqqa.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)