ISIS Attacks in Syria are Increasing: NATO Turkey Bombs SDF (Kurds)
Kanako Mita and Murad Mahkmudov
Modern Tokyo Times
ISIS (Islamic State – IS) attacks in Syria increased last month. This is witnessed by approximately 70 terrorist attacks in parts of Syria.
Over 80 Syrian soldiers and at least 44 civilians were killed by ISIS last month. Accordingly, while the scale is much lower than when ISIS was a major force in Iraq and Syria, it highlights the gradual growth of this Islamist group.
In total, over 200 Syrian soldiers and fighters affiliated with the Syrian government have been killed this year by ISIS. Attacks are notably happening in Deir Ezzor, Homs, and al-Raqa provinces.
The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) reports, “March was, by every metric, the most violent month of ISIS’s Badia [central Syrian desert] insurgency since late 2017, when the group first lost control of its territory.”
ISIS is attacking isolated Syrian army outposts and then executing captured soldiers. Hence, Syrian army patrols face being ambushed in increasing numbers.
ISIS and NATO Turkey (Türkiye) also continue to attack the Kuridsh-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) backed by America.
TURKEY ATTACKS THE SDF IN SYRIA
Voice of America reports, “Further complicating matters, the SDF has increasingly found itself in conflict with Turkish forces, who view it as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, labeled as a terror organization by Ankara and Washington. And 900 mostly U.S. special forces in Syria have been distracted by recent drone and rocket attacks targeting U.S. bases by Iranian-backed militias.”
Forbes reports, “The SDF controls large swathes of Syria that are governed by the civilian Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. The SDF and the DAANES are already enduring a ferocious Turkish drone campaign against SDF personnel and critical civilian infrastructure, causing severe disruptions in electricity and water supplies to millions of civilians.”
NATO Turkey continues to occupy Northern Cyprus (cleansed Christians and began Turkish settlements) and controls parts of Syria. Turkey also bombs the Kurds in Iraq (Christians and Yazidis communities are also hit) and supports the government of Somalia against al-Shabaab.
NATO Turkey also assisted Azerbaijan (economically, politically, and militarily) in the cleansing of Armenian Christians in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Human Rights Watch said, “In late October 2023, Human Rights Watch reported that Turkish strikes on Kurdish-held areas of northeast Syria had resulted in water and electricity disruptions for millions of people. Back then, Turkish forces struck water and electrical power stations, oil installations, and the only operational gas plant for domestic use in all of northeast Syria.”
Lee Jay Walker (Modern Tokyo Times analyst) says, “Intelligence in America (the administration of President Joe Biden was in denial about the speed of the Taliban re-taking power in Afghanistan) claims that ISIS (Islamic terrorists and backers) is no bigger than approximately 1,000 people. However, the United Nations report claims that ISIS forces are between 3,000 and 5,000. Therefore, the upturn in attacks against the armed forces of Syria and the SDF hints that the United Nations is more accurate.”
President Emmanuel Macron of France (2019) said, “When I look at Turkey they are fighting against those who fought with us shoulder to shoulder against ISIS (Islamic State) and sometimes they work with ISIS proxies.”
Macron continued, “I think any ambiguity with Turkey vis-a-vis these groups is detrimental to everybody for the situation on the ground.”
OVERALL
In the last week, eight Syrian soldiers were executed after an ambush in eastern Syria. Another ambush witnessed six Syrian soldiers being executed by ISIS during Ramadan. These two attacks took place in the environs of Sukhna and the city of Deir Ezzor – and Sukhna and Palmyra (Homs province).
The central Badia desert is the hub of ISIS attacks, plots, and logistics.
It is feared that ISIS will seek to further its expansion and consolidate in areas of strength. Hence, with the international community being fixated on the Gaza and Israel crisis – and NATO being fixated on Ukraine – countless conflicts are under the radar.
This includes Ethiopia and massacres against the Amhara, Indonesia oppressing West Papua, and countless conflicts including the DRC, Burkina Faso, Myanmar, Mali, Mozambique, Somalia, Sudan, and too many to mention.
Lee Jay Walker says, “ISIS is opportunistic. Accordingly, with NATO Turkey weakening the SDF and the distractions of Gaza and Ukraine, ISIS seeks to expand and consolidate in Syria.”
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