ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced on Sunday that their elite forces dismantled an Islamic State (ISIS) cell in a preemptive operation in the eastern Deir ez-Zor province, arresting four key operatives. This comes a day after a deadly attack by the extremist group killed at least three people in central Syria, including two US troops.
In a statement, the SDF said the Military Operations Teams (TOL) carried out “a precise and well-planned security operation” on December 1, based on “accurate intelligence” and “intense monitoring,” which led to the dismantling of a “dangerous ISIS cell” in Hosan village, in western Deir ez-Zor countryside.
The SDF added that “preliminary investigations revealed the terrorist cell had dangerous plans,” including “preparing and planning armed attacks using improvised explosive devices [IEDs]” against Kurdish military and security forces, as well as civilian and service facilities. The cell’s activities also included “transporting money and providing logistical and military support to active ISIS cells.”
The captured operatives were identified as Mohammed and Nawaf Ayesh al-Abbar, who were “tasked with monitoring the movement of military vehicles and SDF fighters” in western Deir ez-Zor and “preparing IEDs” to target them.
The other two, Rakan Ahmed Suleiman and Madallah Khaled al-Shahdha, were responsible for monitoring SDF movements and “receiving and transporting funds allocated to support terrorist cells.”
The SDF serves as the de facto military force in northeast Syria (Rojava) and is the main partner of the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS in the country. Meanwhile, the TOL units specialize in counterterrorism raids and other special operations.
The statement comes a day after two US soldiers and a civilian were killed in an ambush in the city of Tadmur (Palmyra), in Syria’s central Homs province on Saturday, while three other American soldiers and two Syrian security personnel were wounded, according to the Pentagon and Syrian state media.
“Two United States Army soldiers and one civilian U.S. interpreter were killed, and three were wounded,” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a post on X.
Parnell added that the attack occurred while the soldiers were conducting “a key leader engagement” in support of ongoing counter-ISIS and counterterrorism operations in the region.
Of note, Syria became the 90th state to join the anti-ISIS coalition in mid-November.
Although ISIS did not officially claim responsibility, Syrian interior ministry spokesperson Noureddine al-Baba told the state-run al-Ikhbariya TV on Saturday that a December 10 assessment of the attacker suggested he may have had extremist affiliations.
US President Donald Trump vowed “very serious retaliation” against those responsible.
The Rojava administration’s media arm, North and East Syria Communication (Nescomm), said in a Saturday statement on X that the “terrorist attack” in Tadmur “once again highlights the ongoing security challenges and the human cost of instability.”
“Such incidents underscore the importance of continued efforts to combat terrorism, prevent escalation, and avoid security vacuums that extremist groups exploit in fragile environments,” the statement added, emphasizing that “sustaining coordination, promoting de-escalation, and prioritizing regional and civilian security remain essential to preventing further violence and supporting long-term stability in Syria.”
Meanwhile, the SDF reiterated on Sunday its commitment to continuing “security and intelligence efforts to protect civilians and enhance security and stability in the region.”