The surge in violence has sent shockwaves through communities still recovering from ISIS's brutal reign. In just 24 hours, six separate attacks targeted Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) positions, leaving a trail of bloodshed and renewed fear across the region. The most brazen assault occurred in Diban, Deir ez-Zor province, where heavily armed ISIS operatives unleashed automatic weapons fire on an SDF military checkpoint, injuring an innocent civilian woman caught in the crossfire.
"This is not random violence—this is a calculated campaign," warned a senior security analyst who requested anonymity due to safety concerns. "The pattern and precision of these attacks demonstrate sophisticated planning and coordination that hasn't been seen since ISIS-controlled territory."
The violence has escalated at a terrifying pace. In Darnaj village, ISIS militants attempted to plant improvised explosive devices before engaging in a deadly firefight with SDF patrols. One assailant was killed while another escaped with injuries, disappearing into the shadows where countless others await their moment to strike.
Near Tabqa in western Raqqa, militants executed a bomb ambush against SDF forces, injuring two fighters in an attack that followed a security sweep that had earlier neutralized one ISIS operative and captured three others. The attackers vanished before reinforcements arrived, highlighting the militants' ability to strike and disappear at will.
The bloodshed continued at the Sabkha water station, where an SDF checkpoint came under intense fire, leaving multiple personnel wounded, including a civilian security guard. In northern Raqqa, an ambush between al-Kalta and al-Khaniz villages claimed the life of one SDF fighter and left two others wounded, prompting authorities to deploy emergency reinforcements to the volatile area.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has documented a staggering 97 ISIS operations since the beginning of 2025 across regions under the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. These attacks have claimed 35 lives and left dozens more injured in what appears to be a methodical campaign to destabilize the region.
Particularly alarming is the concentration of violence in Deir ez-Zor, where 81 attacks have resulted in 18 SDF and allied forces fatalities, alongside five civilian deaths. The remaining attacks have been distributed across the Hasakah and Raqqa provinces, creating a triangle of terror that security forces are struggling to contain.
In response to the escalating threat, SDF has imposed strict curfews across affected areas, with loudspeakers instructing terrified civilians to remain indoors as security operations intensify. However, experts fear these measures may prove insufficient against an enemy with remarkable resilience and adaptability.
"What we're witnessing is the nightmare scenario security experts have warned about for years," said a former counter-terrorism official. "ISIS was never truly defeated—it simply went underground, regrouped, and is now executing a carefully planned resurgence strategy."
Photo: Iraqi forces fight ISIS remnants, Wikimedia Commons