Update December 4 – Northern Syria Offensive

Highlights - As displaced families continue to pour in to NES, the DAANES estimates that numbers of IDPs will soon reach 120,000. - Critical shortages of essential supplies, food, water, medicines and accommodation for IDPs. - SNA commits…

September Sleeper Cell Report – information gained through ‘Operation Humanity and Security’ helps SDF uncover huge ISIS weapons cache

, ,
SDF anti-terror units conduct a raid in Heseke. Key points ‘Operation Humanity and Security’ concluded in al-Hol camp, with a further 105 arrests, following on from the 121 people already arrested during the operation in August.  …

August Sleeper Cell Report: rising threat level in Hol camp prompts ‘Operation Humanity and Security’

, ,
Asayish during 'Operation Humanity and Security'. The ongoing ‘Operation Humanity and Security’ in Hol camp yielded 121 arrests in the month of August. Outside of Hol camp, sleeper cell attacks and casualties increased slightly…

July Sleeper Cell Report: Low Number of Attacks, Major Events

, ,
A major Asayish raid on the 22nd in Hol camp yielded at least 19 arrests. Security forces remain on high alert over a possible attack on the camp despite low number of murders this month.   Sleeper cell attacks down from June;…

June Sleeper Cell Report: No Change in Number of Attacks, Raids

, ,
Group of girls in al-Hol's foreigners' Annex during a 'graduation ceremony' under ISIS banner (see below).   Sleeper cell attacks remained on par with May, though more deadly for SDF Violence outside al-Hol is more deadly: 16…

May Sleeper Cell Report: attacks down but intensity of SDF anti-terror raids threatens tribal relations in Deir ez-Zor

, ,
Sleeper cell attacks more than halved compared to April6 assassinations in al-Hol2 large security operations in al-Hol saw 31 arrested in totalOutside of al-Hol, 51 people with links to ISIS were arrestedAnti-terror raids in Deir ez-Zor greatly…

April Sleeper Cell Report: Bloodiest Month Yet Due To ISIS Ramadan Campaign

, ,
The 7 victims of ISIS' attack on the head of the Deir ez-Zor Civil Council Public Relations Office near Abu Khashab on April 27th 54 sleeper cell attacks across NES (32 claimed by ISIS), a 184% increase on MarchViolent 'Two Sheikhs Campaign'…

March Sleeper Cell Report: Major Attack in al-Hol; Deteriorating Security as Widespread Protests Plague Deir ez-Zor

,
ISIS sleeper cell in Syria pledges allegiance to new leader 'Abu Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi'. Throughout March, sleeper cells throughout Africa, the Middle East, and Asia have filmed similar videos and distributed them online. 19 sleeper…

Sleeper Cell Report: Idlib Raid Has Little Effect On ISIS Operations, High Number of Arrests As Heseke Fallout Continues

, ,
Qamishlo residents mourn relatives on February 2nd Key Points Major coup in joint US-SDF raid on Idlib which killed ISIS leader17 sleeper cell attacks across NES (excluding in al-Hol camp), of which 8 were claimed by ISISMain target were…

Sleeper Cell Report: Sina’a Prison Attack Shocks Heseke While Sleeper Cell Attacks Continued Throughout NES in January

, ,
Key Points – 38 attacks documented, 34 claimed by ISIS, including the 9 day-long Battle of Heseke – The attacks resulted in 128 civilian and SDF deaths, primarily military personnel during the Heseke Battle – 4 murders…

Annual Sleeper Cell Report 2021 – Sleeper Cell Attacks Decreased but Security Forces Remained Weary

, ,
Download here. The attack on Sina’a prison in Heseke at the end of January 2022 proved an explosive bookend to 2021, a year that had seen a decline in sleeper cell attacks in Northeast Syria (NES). Though ISIS activity in general stayed…