ROJAVA – The Al-Jazeera Thunderbolt Operation, launched by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Northern and Eastern Syrian Internal Security Forces against ISIS cells in the Hol Til Hemis and Til Berak regions on December 29, continues on its 6th day.
ANNOUNCED ‘START OF THE FIGHT OF THE YEAR 2023’
The SDF made the following statement regarding the operation, which was announced as the beginning of the operations against ISIS in 2023:
“DAESH cells once again showed their brutality and increased their attacks during this period when our forces were busy responding to the attacks of the invading Turkish state. In this context, it threatens everyone who plays a role against the destruction of the traces of ISIS dominance with brochures and tries to revive it. Within the scope of activating the fight against ISIS, our forces carried out the attacks on December 29 at 01:00 in cooperation with the Northern and Eastern Syrian Internal Security Forces and the International Coalition Against ISIS in order to destroy the ISIS cells and clear the terrorist areas on this basis. We launched the ‘Cizre Lightning Operation’ (Saîqeta Al Jazeera) in the Hol Camp, where it was held, in Hesekê, south of Qamishlo, and in the regions of Hol and Til Hemîs, which were the source of possible attacks. This operation was initiated as part of urgent requirements and avenging the martyrs in Raqqa. At the same time, this operation is the beginning of the operations to be carried out against terrorist organizations in 2023. On this basis, our forces will act seriously and harshly against threats to our people and institutions.”
MANY CELLS DROPPED, 184 GANGS CAUGHT
During the 6th day of the operation, significant results were obtained day by day. Having received the information that “ISIS will carry out a bloody attack on New Year’s Day”, the security forces deactivated the attack cells by pressing the button. Thus, many attacks were prevented. On the second day of the operation in which 52 ISIS gangs were captured, the gang members confessed that they would carry out a terrorist attack on New Year’s Day. This proved the success of the operation from the first days. In the operations that have continued so far, besides the ISIS mercenaries, ISIS members who provide communication and logistics and ammunition support between the ISIS cells in the region have also been captured. In their first interrogation, the captured mercenaries admitted that they attach great importance to the Til Hemîs and Til Birak regions for the organization of ISIS in Northern and Eastern Syria.
OPERATIONAL COORDINATION: IMPORTANT RESULTS WE WILL ANNOUNCE SOON
YPJ Cizre Region Commander Dilbirîn Kobanê, who is coordinating the operation, summarizes the purpose of the operation as follows:
“There have been intense attacks against our region recently, especially by the Turkish state. When ISIS is forced or begins to lose great power, the Turkish state itself steps in and goes on the offensive. Thus, it creates an opportunity for ISIS to mobilize again. The Turkish state clearly supports it. It does not only provide logistical ammunition support. There is help in every way. Because he sees a part of it. Seeing all attacks against our region as an opportunity, ISIS gangs were planning to organize themselves by spreading in the region with the attacks of the Turkish state. Despite such intense attacks, we did not delay our fight against ISIS.
After receiving the information that ISIS is trying to reorganize by reviving, we started the operation in this region, where the most threats against the people of the region, ‘You will join us, or you will help us and give place’. ISIS attacked Raqqa. ISIS wanted us to focus on Raqqa with this attack. We realized this from our experience. ISIS wants to spread itself everywhere. We launched the Cizre Yıldırım operation, both for the revenge of our martyrs in Reqa and the needs of the region.”
‘WHERE THE PERSON OF MANY ATTACKS WERE CAUGHT, AND A LOT OF IT WAS PREVENTED’
Dilbirîn Kobanê shared the information that the operation achieved great results and that they will make a detailed statement in the coming days, and said, “The operation we started with the partnership of the SDF and the Internal Security Forces continues at full speed. We have captured dozens of gangs in the operations carried out so far. ISIS gangs were after bloody attacks on New Year’s Eve. We have prevented this massacre and danger. In addition to the gang members who provided logistics and ammunition support, those who had a hand in the attack on Hesêkê prison on January 20, 2022 were caught. We will share more detailed results of the operation in the coming days,” he said.
“The location of the operation is a strategic area. Iraq is located on the Syrian border. Saying that gangs coming from the occupied city of Serêkaniyê are deployed in these regions, Dilbirîn Kobanê pointed out that attacks against other places were also prevented and added: “ISIS was preparing for attacks and massacres not only here, but also for many places. That’s why Operation Cizre Yildirim has prevented the threat all over the world. We have always fought for the whole world with the responsibility of humanitarian duty. We call on everyone to be a partner in this struggle by embracing their humanitarian duty.”
‘IT WILL BE COMPLETED WITH GREAT SUCCESS’
Dilbirîn Kobanê said that the people directly supported the operation and said, “Til Berak and Til Hemîs helped us in this operation until the end. This gave the greatest support to the defense of the people. We will complete this operation, which we started for the peace of the region and our people, with great success. We will continue our operation comprehensively in line with the need for peace and security in the region. We will continue our operation until we clean up those who create strife in the society by disturbing the peace in the region.”
SDF PRESS RESPONSIBLE: THE REASON FOR THE TURKISH STATE’S DIRECTION TO TIRBESPİYÊ RELEASED
SDF Press Officer Ferhad Şamî reminded that their struggle against DAESH continues uninterrupted and said, “Our fight against DAESH has been going on since 2014. Our struggle continued until Baxoz in 2019 and the geographical presence of ISIS was ended. Then we started the second phase of the operation against ISIS. This was a longer and more comprehensive process. We carried out this operation meticulously in the Arab regions where ISIS has ‘dominated’, especially in the Arab regions that we call moderate areas such as Til Hemîs, south of Hesêkê, Derazor and Reqa.”
TURKISH STATE TAKES ACTION ON DAESH TIL HEMIS IN TIRBESPİYÊ
Stating that the Turkish state had stepped in before the cells in Til Hemîs took action, Şamî said: “It was known that ISIS was preparing to carry out major attacks, such as the Hesêkê prison attack last year. He wanted to do this especially in places like Raqqa. In the last days of the year, they attacked the point where the forces providing the security of the prison where ISIS detainees are located in Raqqa. We repulsed this attack, which we lost. This formed the basis for us to start operations in other regions before the New Year. ISIS, which wanted us to focus on Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa, was also in action in the rear. The Turkish state also moved in this direction. For example, when talking about Til Hemîs, there is Tirbespiyê right behind it. Paying attention, Turkish reconnaissance planes have attacked Tirbespiyê more than 10 times recently. Perhaps this attack went unnoticed at that time. But then it became clear that he tried to activate the ISIS cells in Til Hemîs in these attacks.”
‘OPERATION CONTINUES IN ITS SECOND PHASE’
Regarding the results and course of the operation, Şamî said, “There was a lot of information about attacks on Hesêkê, Hol Camp and Qamishlo. With this operation, we have prevented many dangers. We have been informed that some ISIS cells will launch a bloody attack on New Year’s Day. We were able to prevent these attacks on the first day of our surprise operations. On the first day of the operation, we focused on special targets. We got the most dangerous gangsters. Then we moved on to the second stage. We turned to the cells that spread the ISIS ideology. We turned to those who joined ISIS, communicated between cells, provided logistics and ammunition support. Thanks to these operations, we have ensured that the region enters the new year peacefully.”
Gangs Confess Their Preparations to Attack
Stating that ISIS is making plans for the imprisoned gangs, Şami made the following assessments:
“One of the situations that keeps ISIS alive is the detained ISIS members. Prisons in Hol Camp and Heseke. ISIS is constantly fed off of it, both militarily and ideologically. It aims to seize the region again by kidnapping some of the arrested gang leaders. With the Turkish state’s attack on the prison where ISIS members are held in Qamishlo, there was a plan to abduct these gangs and bring them to their cells. There is a distance of 15 km between the prison where the attack took place and the cells where the operation is currently carried out. At this distance, there are Syrian regime forces. This is also a weak line. Regime forces have no intention of fighting against ISIS. Maybe there are cells in their area, they are condoning. There was information that ISIS was preparing to attack prisons. Maybe they don’t have a big attack situation, but they will attack locally. We have measures in this direction. The interrogations of the captured gangs continue. In their first statements, the gangs admitted that they were preparing for a major attack in Qamishlo, Hesêkê and Reqa.”
THE NEW caliph’s “EVERYWHERE WILL BE FIRE” THREATS RESPONDED
Sharing the information that they took action to nullify the threats of the new ISIS leader, Shami said, “They chose their new leader after the ISIS leader was killed in Daraa. According to the information we have, the new leader is the bloodiest leader in the history of ISIS. His first words were ‘Every yen will be a place of blood and fire during my caliphate’. It threatens everything from Syria, Iraq, Africa and Europe. We started this operation to prevent this in our region. Of course, this is not enough. In the future, these operations will be more extensive and comprehensive. To remove the DAESH threat in our region and for our people to live in peace. We are discussing this with both our own forces and the national forces involved in the ISIS file. Of course, they also see this threat. If there is an attack, if major threats arise, international states are responsible for it.
FEMALE COMMANDER ON THE FIELD: GANGS ARE HIDING BETWEEN CIVILS, WE ARE APPROACHING SENSITIVELY
Hêlîn Rasûl, one of the commanders of the force that carried out the operation in the field, said, “Since ISIS gangs hide in civilian houses, we are conducting the operation sensitively. When we carry out search-scan activities in homes, we take women and children to a separate room. After making our calls in a comfortable way, we leave. So far, the locals have not caused any problems. Those who are uncomfortable or worried are relieved after our sensitive approach,” he explained what happened in the field.
Stating that they carried out their duties at the beginning of the year, Hêlîn said: “We will always carry out our duty for the peace and security of the people of the region. May our people rest in peace.”
TOMORROW: Al-Jazeera Thunderbolt Operation – Joint the operation against the Turkish-DAESH massacres
