The U.S.-backed force that successfully defeated the Islamic State group in Syria five years ago has issued a warning about the continued dangers posed by the extremist organization worldwide. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) marked the fifth anniversary since IS lost its self-declared caliphate by emphasizing the urgent need for the international community to address the thousands of fighters still held in SDF jails.
Despite the liberation of the eastern Syrian village of Baghouz in March 2019, which marked the end of IS's caliphate, the group's sleeper cells and affiliates in Asia and Africa continue to carry out deadly attacks. The SDF highlighted that IS remains a significant threat, actively seeking to rebuild itself through sleeper cells and regain control over certain areas.
The SDF stressed the importance of dismantling the ideological foundations of IS to completely eradicate the organization. Currently, the SDF is detaining approximately 10,000 captured IS fighters in northeast Syria, including 2,000 foreign nationals whose home countries have refused repatriation.
Additionally, the SDF oversees around 45,000 family members of IS fighters, predominantly women and children, in the al-Hol camp. The camp, once home to 73,000 individuals, has seen a decrease in population as some countries have repatriated their citizens. However, concerns persist about the radicalization of women and children within the camp, posing a potential threat to the region and beyond.
The SDF called for a global solution to address the issue of IS detainees, urging home countries to repatriate their nationals or establish an international court in northeast Syria for trials. The SDF emphasized that resolving the situation at the al-Hol camp, where IS families are housed, is a critical priority to prevent further security risks.
The ongoing presence of IS sleeper cells and the radicalization of individuals within detention facilities underscore the persistent threat posed by the extremist group. The SDF's plea for international cooperation and action reflects the ongoing challenges in combating the remnants of the Islamic State group.
