ISIS Awakens in Syria: The Organization Awaits the Perfect Moment to Return to the Global Stage

10th January 2025

2 minutes read

ISIS Awakens in Syria: The Organization Awaits the Perfect Moment to Return to the Global Stage

ISIS has awakened from its slumber after years of being defeated in Syria and Iraq. However, the US Department of Defense emphasizes that reclaiming territories from ISIS and its geographical losses do not signify its demise.

The report states that, over the past five years, although ISIS‘s power has been declining since the fall of its last stronghold in Baghouz during an offensive by the Syrian Democratic Forces supported by a US-led international coalition in 2019, the French outlet “Al-Monitor” described its presence as persistent in the central Badia desert. The organization sporadically resurfaced to carry out operations, such as the attack on Ghuwayran prison in Hasakah in 2022, and other attacks worldwide through so-called “lone wolf” assaults coordinated with sympathizers.

Today, after observing the movements of its cells in the Syrian Badia on international intelligence radars, there is an urgent need to sound the alarm. This concern is heightened by the fall of the Assad regime, as it could enable the group to exploit power vacuums, recruit more fighters, and accelerate the process of acquiring weapons, either through open borders or by seizing Syrian army weapons abandoned by officers fleeing their posts.

In early December last year, the US military carried out dozens of airstrikes targeting 75 ISIS sites, including leaders, agents, and training camps. A week later, these strikes killed dozens more fighters, and the US Central Command announced it had successfully neutralized ISIS leader Abu Yusuf in Deir ez-Zor province during a recent round of precision strikes. However, the threat remains real, particularly in areas controlled by the United States’ key partner, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Intelligence reports published by “Politico” indicate that US officials are closely monitoring the situation in northeastern Syria. They believe a potential Turkish attack on SDF-controlled areas could destabilize security, facilitating ISIS members’ escape from prisons and weakening the SDF‘s ability to secure camps. These camps house individuals that many countries hesitate to repatriate, even though they joined ISIS after arriving in Syria and Iraq.

Repatriation efforts have been extremely slow. Over the past three years, approximately 10,000 people have been repatriated from the Al-Hol and Roj camps. It is estimated that ISIS children number over 3,500, originating from more than 30 countries, according to Save the Children. The organization warns that without rehabilitation, most of these children risk becoming terrorists in the future.

The terrorist organization ISIS is seizing this opportunity and planning to exploit the uncertainty and lack of clarity in the foreign policies of the countries present in Syria. It awaits the perfect moment to return to the global stage under the slogan “Baqiya wa tatamaddad” (Remaining and Expanding).