April 08, 2019

Security forces in Raqqa bust ISIS sleeper cell

Source: Kurdistan 24

Journalist: Wladimir Van Wilgenburg

Security forces in Syria’s Raqqa on Sunday arrested six people who were allegedly involved in Islamic State sleeper cell activities.

Raqqa Internal Security Forces (RISF), a police unit formed in 2017 after the fall of the Islamic State in the area, launched a crackdown on remaining cells over the weekend.

“The security forces in Raqqa have arrested six individuals who are directly responsible for explosions and attacks on civilians in the city of Raqqa,” the media center for the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said in a statement.

“These six individuals were trying to instill fear and instability in Raqqa among civilians.”

Despite the SDF and the US-led coalition announcing the defeat of the extremist group’s so-called caliphate on March 23, Islamic State sleeper cell attacks continue as security forces continue to detain militants in previously liberated territories.

Read the full article and more in Kurdistan 24.

Author

  • Nicholas Heras

    Former Fellow, Middle East Security Program

    Nicholas A. Heras is a former Fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), working in the Middle East Security Program. His work focused on the analysis of complex...