Western-aligned Syria-based milita reminds world of Islamic State threat

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reminded the world of the ongoing threat posed by the Islamic State (IS) group and its remnants worldwide on Sunday after the group claimed responsibility for the terror attack on Friday that left hundreds dead or injured at a Moscow concert hall.  

The Islamic State, which once controlled a massive swath of territory along the Iraqi-Syrian border, largely had its territorial ambitions destroyed with the loss of its last formal geographic territory at the hands of the SDF in 2019. The Kurdish-led force recently celebrated the fifth anniversary of the Islamic State’s formal defeat following the extremist group’s routing from the village of Baghouz in Syria.  

“The terrorist organization still poses a great danger to our regions and the world,” the SDF said, adding that “it seeks to rebuild itself through its sleeper cells and tries to revive its dreams of regaining geographical control over some areas.”  

Policing ISIS fighters in Syria

Even now, the SDF retains responsibility for the administration and policing of 10,000 captured IS fighters across dozens of detention camps in eastern Syria, as well as the Al-Hol prison camp.  

Al-Hol is a massive complex home to some of the Islamic State’s most devoted followers, where some 45,000 Islamic State-affiliated family members, largely women and children, still reside.  

The SDF often undertakes counterterrorism operations within the camp to stamp out extremist cells but maintains a long-term solution is needed as “[Al-Hol] is a priority that cannot be overlooked or ignored, as the camp is still a ticking time bomb.”