The H.A.T. (Hêzên Antî Teror – Anti-Terror Forces), an elite counterterrorism unit of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has successfully dismantled an ISIS sleeper cell in the rural region east of Deir ez-Zor.
This area, long known as an ISIS hotbed even after the group's territorial defeat, remains a critical zone for ongoing counterterror operations.
Backed by intelligence gathered from both local sources and the U.S.-led Coalition, the operation led to the arrest of several ISIS operatives and the seizure of weapons and communication devices. H.A.T., often working with U.S. special forces, has been instrumental in disrupting ISIS networks that continue to plot ambushes, IED attacks, and targeted assassinations across northeastern Syria.
Despite the fall of ISIS’s caliphate in 2019, hundreds of its fighters have melted into the population, especially in areas like Deir ez-Zor and Hasakah, carrying out low-intensity insurgency tactics. H.A.T.’s operations have intensified in recent months following an uptick in ISIS activity during Ramadan and as the group tries to exploit regional instability.