URFA - Evaluating the "Cizre Lightning Operation" initiated by the SDF against ISIS, Journalist Ahmed Muhammed said, "As Turkey's attacks continue, the bigger the ISIS gets."

 

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) captured 154 ISIS members as part of the "Cizre Lightning Operation (Saîqet Al Jazeera) they launched in the Cizre Region. The operation, which started on December 29 with the cooperation of the Northern and Eastern Syrian Internal Security Forces and the International Coalition Against ISIS, lasted for 8 days. The operation was launched to cover the Cizre Region's Qamishlo and Til Hemîsê, Til Berak and Hol districts of the Hesekê Canton. Following the operation that ended on January 6, the SDF announced on January 9 that it had seized weapons and ammunition depots belonging to ISIS mercenaries in the village of Qîrewan in Til Hemîsê district.

 

ISIS CELLS

 

Working in the Northern and Eastern Syria Autonomous Administration region, researcher-journalist Ahmed Muhammed spoke to the Mesopotamia Agency (MA) about the operation organized by the SDF.

 

Reminding that according to the latest statement made by the SDF in March 2019, ISIS is geographically over, but it is located in the region in the form of cell structures, Muhammed said: ISIS was still in existence. Stating that the SDF has been conducting uninterrupted operations against the ISIS cell structure since 2019, Muhammed said that the SDF launched another operation on December 29 under the name of Operation Cizre Lightning, and that this operation was carried out at the request of the people in the north of the Qamishlo and Hesekê Cantons. Muhammed said: "On the other hand, there was a great activity of ISIS in these regions. They were both demanding ransom from the people in that region under the name of 'zakat', and targeting people in the Northern and Eastern Syria Autonomous Administration. In addition, the Northern and Eastern Syrian Internal Security Forces and prominent Arab tribes were targeted. For this, the SDF felt the need to carry out an operation in this process.”

 

OPERATION LASTED FOR 8 DAYS

 

Stating that the operation lasted for 8 days and ended on January 6, Muhammed emphasized that 154 ISIS members were arrested as part of the operation. Noting that 20 of those arrested were collecting ransoms from the people in the region and were working to disrupt the peace in the region, Mohammed said, "Even though they were not directly affiliated to ISIS cells, they were trouble enough to cause the SDF to launch the operation. Some of them were affiliated to the Damascus regime, some of them were in this just for money. Other arrestees were affiliated to ISIS gangs. Some of them took part in the attacks on the Northern and Eastern Syrian Internal Security Forces. Some of them supplied the materials needed by the gangs, while others were  explosive experts. There were people carrying weapons and ammunition from Iraq to the Northern and Eastern Syria Autonomous Administration region for ISIS. The operation progressed day by day for 8 days. SDF continued operations directly in Til Berak, Til Hemîsê and Hol Camps with the information they had. Within the scope of this operation, some arsenals were discovered."

 

'THEY ARE TRYING TO CAUSE DISTURBANCE'

 

Mentioning why ISIS members took a place in the Cizre Region, Muhammed said: “These regions were places where ISIS had settled since 2014. Until the YPG and YPJ liberated these areas, ISIS cells were sheltering here. That region embraced ISIS gangs. ISIS left a mark in this region. Looking back, we see that most of the ISIS cells are located in that region. In addition, there are prisons in Til Berak, Til Hemîsê and Hol districts where ISIS gangs are being held. Their families are in the camp in this region. These all cause the intense ISIS mobilisation here. ISIS cells are also trying to cause disturbance in order to free their gangs from prisons and smuggle their families out of the camps.”

 

'TURKEY'S ATTACKS HELPS ISIS GROW'

 

Mentioning that Operation Cizre Lightning is directly related to the attacks carried out by Turkey on the Northern and Eastern Syria Autonomous Administration Region that started on November 19, Muhammed said, "SDF stated that when Turkey starts its attacks against them, they will respond and protect themselves instead of fighting against ISIS. It announced that its priority was to establish its own border security and defend themselves against the occupation. This being the case, when Turkey attacked the autonomous administration, the operations against ISIS weakened and ISIS began to revive and grow again. As Turkey's attacks continue, the bigger the ISIS gets. This is obvious. ISIS is a project of Turkey and NATO. It is a project established to destroy the will in the Northern and Eastern Syria Autonomous Administration Region. The relationship between Turkey and these cells is directly linked to each other. Turkey is a major obstacle to ending ISIS. As long as the Turkish attacks continues in the region, ISIS will have a way out and it will grow."

 

'DAMASCUS AND TURKEY ALSO HAS CELLS IN THE REGION ALONG WITH ISIS'

 

"There are not only ISIS cells in the Northern and Eastern Syria Autonomous Administration Region," said Mohammed, "However, there are also cells affiliated with the Damascus regime. There are also cells belonging to the gangs that Turkey has settled in the regions occupied in the Northern and Eastern Syria Autonomous Administration Region. All these cells look like ISIS cells. These cells want to raise the people against self-government. Another aim is to target self-government. The cells of the Damascus regime want to create chaos in the region, and the ISIS cells already want to spread their ideology.”

 

SECOND PHASE OF THE OPERATION

 

Mentioning that the operations of the SDF will continue, Muhammed said that Operation Cizre Lightning has entered the second phase. Stating that there was an ammunition depot belonging to ISIS in the operation carried out in a village in Qamishlo County on January 9 as part of the second phase of the operation, Muhammed continued his speech as follows: “The SDF's struggle against ISIS mercenaries who want to disturb peace and security in the region continues. However, ISIS will not end in the Northern and Eastern Syria Autonomous Administration Region, in the countries of the region, or in the countries of the world, only with the operations of the SDF. These operations prevent new massacres from happening, but not enough to end them. 19 thousand detainees fought for ISIS are in SDF-run prisons. In addition, more than 53 thousand families of ISIS gangs are in Hol and Roj camps. Until a solution is found for them, they are kept in the Cizre region and their security is ensured."

 

'PROBLEMS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL STEPS ARE TAKEN' 

 

Pointing out to the international silence, Muhammed said: "The SDF wants an international tribunal. They want a solution as to what their situation will be. When no action is taken on this issue, it creates a deadlock. ISIS should not be dealt with only through operations. It should be addressed and resolved as a whole. The Coalition helps the SDF a bit about providing weapons. More is needed. The international states in the coalition must take back their citizens but no steps has been taken so far. ISIS problem will continue as long as this continues."

 

MA / Ömer Akın