NE Syria: 139 ISIS sleeper cell attacks and 78 deaths in May, up 61%

New research for May shows:

• At least 78 deaths in at least 139 ISIS sleeper-cell attacks across NE Syria.
• Attacks and deaths are increasing month-on-month, with deaths up 42% since April and attacks up 61%.
• Attacks in previously-secure Jazirah region increase dramatically (up 163% to 21) as ISIS attacks spread from Deir ez-Zor hotbed (which saw 87 attacks, up 28%).
• Widespread SDF raids result in over 100 arrests of sleeper-cell members, primarily in Deir ez-Zor.
• Attacks increase in both Manbij to 9 and the Euphrates region (Raqqa, Tabqa etc.) to 17.
• 42 Armed attacks/ambushes (up 62% on last month), 22 assassinations and 6 executions following capture (up 33%), and 69 bombings (up 73%).

Of particular note are the death of a Jineology (women’s science) youth member, the targeting of a de-mining NGO convoy, and the targeting of local tribal leaders and council members for assassination.

ISIS’ attempts to destabilise the securest and most peaceful region of Syria highlights the continued threat ISIS pose to the world at large and need for international security and humanitarian cooperation with NE Syria.

SDF spokesperson Mustafa Bali says: “We remain committed to our efforts to deny ISIS freedom of movement, and wipe ISIS remnants and ideology out of society.”

Our figures are based on data by open-source researcher Caki in collaboration with Rojava Information Center, drawing on ISIS claims, SDF reports and reliable local news sources.

If you would like to see the full region-by-region, incident-by-incident breakdown; the dossier of sources; and a live-map showing all this data in context across NE Syria; please let us know.