ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Tuesday captured a suspected senior Islamic State (ISIS) leader and two of his operatives in the eastern Deir ez-Zor province, saying he orchestrated attacks in the province and smuggled ISIS affiliates from the notorious al-Hol camp. 

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) operation resulted “in the arrest of the ‘emir’ of the terrorist ISIS organization nicknamed ‘Abu Zubayr/Samak,’ along with two members of his cell,” the Kurdish-led force said in a statement, adding that the cell was “found to be one of the organization’s most dangerous networks and responsible for most of the terrorist attacks against our forces in recent months.” 

ISIS has carried out increasing attacks and taken advantage of the deteriorating security situation in Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024. The attacks have mainly targeted Kurdish-led forces in Deir ez-Zor, with the area’s desert terrain providing a suitable environment for jihadist cells.

The SDF also seized weapons, ammunition, and explosive devices during the raid, along with footage that showed the ISIS affiliates’ “direct involvement” in planning and overseeing attacks. 

“Investigations also confirmed that the emir was managing smuggling and communications operations between the organization’s cells within the region and in the al-Hol camp,” the statement added, noting that he played a role in “the training of children from the organization’s families,” known as the “Cubs of the Caliphate.” 

Al-Hol camp in Hasaka province houses tens of thousands of ISIS-affiliated people. It has been branded as a “ticking time bomb” by Kurdish and Iraqi authorities, with both regional and international communities routinely expressing concern over its danger. 

The SDF is the de facto army in Rojava and the US-led anti-ISIS coalition’s main ally on the ground.

ISIS took control of swathes of Syrian and Iraqi territory in 2014, declaring its so-called caliphate with the Iraqi city of Mosul as its capital. They were territorially defeated with assistance from the US-led coalition forces in Syria in 2019.

Since their territorial defeat, the group has mainly resorted to hit-and-run attacks.

Earlier on Tuesday, the SDF thwarted an attack by ISIS militants on one of their checkpoints in Deir ez-Zor, killing a militant and seriously wounding another, according to a statement from the Kurdish-led force.

The SDF held an “expanded meeting” in late October to discuss plans to confront ISIS in Deir ez-Zor, amid continued attacks by the jihadists on security forces.

Following the meeting, measures were taken to establish new training initiatives and intelligence mechanisms to strengthen cooperation between the Kurdish-led forces in Rojava and enhance the efficiency of fighters.