According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), the operation began early on Saturday morning. The Kurdish-led forces raided several houses resulting in the arrest of 40 people charged with “dealing with and belonging to ISIS.”
The local North Press news agency also cited a military source who said that the SDF and the Asayish “launched a broad security operation on Saturday dawn that targeted definite persons suspected of dealing with ISIS.”
Unlike SOHR, the source did not mention the number of suspects arrested.
The US-led coalition reportedly supported the operation with drones.
According to North Press, the raids took place in the al-Arisha district and Shaddadi and Markada and reached the eastern Deir al-Zor countryside.
The SOHR report noted that the SDF previously stormed Abu Hamam town in eastern Deir al-Zor on Mar. 6 in pursuit of suspects who had clashed with an Asayish patrol the week before. The raid led to a gunfight and the arrests of several suspects.
A number of suspects were detained in the broad security operation on Saturday that targeted individuals suspected of connections with ISIS, North Press Agency said, citing sources from the SDF.
Local residents were told to stay indoors and more than 50 sites were targeted in the security operations, North Press said.
The attack and break-out at al-Sinaa prison in Hasaka in January brought to the forefront the danger ISIS sleeper cells still pose in Rojava. The number of escaped inmates is still unknown but the SDF said they know the identities of several who escaped to Turkey and Turkish-controlled areas of Syria, according to a report from RIC on March 8.
The SDF says al-Hol camp, which hosts thousands of family members connected to ISIS, is under high alert, as Syrian Democratic Forces believe the Islamic State is planning a major attack on the camp, according to RIC.
Reporter's code: 50101